Sean “Diddy” Combs is currently facing serious allegations at a sex trafficking trial in Manhattan stemming from a violent incident involving his former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. In March 2016, Combs reportedly attacked Cassie in a hotel hallway, kicking and dragging her. Following the assault, he expressed concern to a hotel security guard, Eddy Garcia, that if video of the incident was released, it would irreparably damage his career and public image as the charismatic “Puff Daddy.”
Garcia testified that Combs offered him $100,000 in cash to secure what he believed to be the sole copy of the surveillance footage capturing the assault. Combs allegedly made repeated references to the potential fallout of the video becoming public, revealing his anxiety about the incident’s impact on his reputation.
Prosecutors are using this footage as key evidence in their case against the music mogul, who is accused of engaging in a pattern of sexual and physical abuse toward multiple women over the past two decades. Their case posits that Combs leveraged his wealth and status to silence victims and manipulate situations in his favour.
After the incident, Garcia recounted receiving calls from Combs’ chief-of-staff, Kristina Khorram, where a visibly anxious Combs acknowledged that his drunken behaviour had led to the altercation, fearing that the incident, if exposed, could ruin him. Garcia noted Combs was nervous and stuttered during these conversations, further indicating his desperation to keep the event from becoming public knowledge.
Within days, Combs handed Garcia a brown paper bag filled with cash in exchange for the video footage. To formalise the arrangement, Garcia signed a confidentiality agreement, the terms of which stipulated a hefty penalty for any breach. Despite feeling uneasy, Garcia proceeded to comply with Combs’ demands, as he was making a modest salary as a hotel security guard.
Garcia later divided the money he received: $50,000 to his employer, and smaller amounts to another security officer and himself, all while avoiding any banking transactions to eliminate a paper trail. Subsequently, Combs reached out to check on any inquiries about the footage, further reinforcing his relief and gratitude towards Garcia.
However, the scenario turned when footage from the incident was eventually aired publicly by CNN. This revelation indicates that Garcia had recorded the footage separately to share with his spouse. Combs’ efforts to suppress the video’s release now seem undermined as it becomes a critical part of a growing legal controversy surrounding his past actions and relationships with women. Meanwhile, Combs, now 55, has denied all charges against him.