Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Instagram posts and videos vanish amid ongoing allegations of assault, human trafficking, and more.
On Thursday (June 20), the embattled Bad Boy mogul appeared to have deleted the contents of his Instagram account. The move comes just one month after using the platform to issue an apology, following the release of a shocking surveillance clip showing him brutally attacking his ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura, known professionally as “Cassie,” in 2016.
Last year, the “Long Way 2 Go” singer sued Combs for harassment, violence, misconduct and much more. “After years in silence and darkness, I am finally ready to tell my story, and to speak up on behalf of myself and for the benefit of other women who face violence and abuse in their relationships” Cassie expressed.
The lawsuit states that when Cassie was 19, “[Diddy] began a pattern of control and abuse that included plying her with drugs, beating her and forcing her to have sex with a succession of male prostitutes while he filmed the encounters. In 2018, the suit says, near the end of their relationship, Mr. Combs forced his way into her home and raped her.” Shortly after, both parties settled the suit, amicably.
As others came forward in an attempt to hold Diddy legally accountable for similar behavior, the entertainer issued a statement vehemently denying any and all claims made against him.
“ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,” he wrote via Instagram. “For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy.”
He went on to claim that his accusers were looking for a “quick payday” and pleaded with fans that he hadn’t done “any of the awful things being alleged.”
“Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday,” he testified. “Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”
That is, until the clip featuring his beating and dragging Ventura in a hotel hallway was made public by CNN. Soon after, Combs issued an apology (since wiped from his Instagram), in which he subtly apologized for his behavior without addressing Cassie directly.
“It’s so difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, but sometimes you got to do that. I was fucked up — I mean, I hit rock bottom — but I make no excuses,” he said. “My behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I’m disgusted. I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now.
“I’m so sorry. But I’m committed to be a better man each and every day. I’m not asking for forgiveness. I’m truly sorry.”
Despite everything, it’s worth noting that Diddy still boasts a whopping 19.9 million followers.