The testimony in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial began Monday, as a former hotel security guard took the stand and detailed a disturbing attempt by the music mogul to bribe him following an assault on Cassie Ventura.
According to Israel Florez, who now serves with the LAPD, the incident happened in 2016 at the InterContinental Hotel in Century City, Los Angeles. Florez said he was working security that night when he responded to a call about a woman in distress on the sixth floor. That woman was Cassie Ventura.
In chilling court testimony, Florez described finding Diddy sitting on a chair in only a towel, with what he called a “devilish stare.” He claimed Combs handed him a wad of cash and said, “Don’t tell nobody.” Florez interpreted the gesture as a bribe and said he declined the money.
Security footage from the hotel, later released by CNN, shows Combs chasing Cassie, grabbing her by the throat, slamming her to the ground, kicking her, and even throwing an object at her while she lay motionless. The harrowing images shocked the public when they were made public earlier this year.
Florez further testified that after Cassie left the hotel with what he described as a “purple eye,” he and another security guard returned to speak with Combs about hotel policy. That’s when Combs allegedly snatched the other guard’s phone, accusing him of recording. Florez said he had to pin Combs against the wall to get the phone back.
Diddy, who has pleaded not guilty, is currently on trial in Manhattan for sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution, stemming from a September 2023 federal indictment. Prosecutors have described a pattern of behavior involving coercion, violence, and manipulation—many of the allegations centering around so-called “freak offs,” or orchestrated sex encounters involving escorts and female partners.
Cassie Ventura, who settled her own lawsuit against Diddy in 2023, is expected to testify this week. Her case, and the viral hotel video, have triggered a cascade of additional lawsuits and claims from other accusers.
Diddy’s legal team has acknowledged the disturbing nature of the 2016 video, telling the court the footage showed “horrible, dehumanizing violence,” but argued that it does not prove sex trafficking.
If convicted, Diddy could face life in prison.
