The hip-hop world was shocked when music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested on Monday night and charged with a series of outrageous allegations that have left fans and the entertainment industry reeling.
Now, fans are doing a double take, blasting the disgraced producer’s legal team for making comments about his ex-girlfriend Cassie — calling his comments “victim blaming.”
Combs’ arrest took place at the Park Hyatt Hotel in New York City, where he was apprehended following a three-count indictment including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution, according to a federal indictment unsealed Tuesday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
Marc Agnifilo, Combs’ lead attorney, immediately spoke out in defense of his client, claiming that the authorities were overlooking critical aspects of the case.
While Combs has already pleaded not guilty to the charges, his lawyer’s remarks seemed to target not just the legal process but also the individuals involved in the allegations, particularly singer Cassie Ventura, Combs’ former artist and partner.
“Mr. Combs is not a perfect person. These toxic relationships were mutual. Now he is trying to be better for the rest of his days. If there’s one thing we’ve seen, we should stand with people who are trying to get the help they need,” Agnifilo stated.
He remains in police custody after a judge denied bail during his arraignment. Agnifilo further addressed the relationship between Combs and his former artist and girlfriend, Cassie, referred to in legal documents as “Victim-1.”
“These two people were in love. Victim-1 ended up marrying the trainer that Mr. Combs got for her,” Agnifilo continued, adding, “They had been cheating on each other for years. But now she had two kids with the trainer. Years later, she realized she had a good thing with Mr. Combs.”
Ventura did marry her personal trainer, Alex Fine, in September 2019. The couple has two young daughters. Fine has adamantly shown support to Cassie including raising over $56,000 for the Haven Domestic Violence Shelter in Pontiac Michigan, the same place who once helped his mom.
The comments didn’t stop there.
Agnifilo insinuated that Ventura’s motives were financially driven, stating, “She has her lawyer call his lawyer and say, ‘She has written a book. But if you want to buy the rights, you’ll have the rights, for $30 million.’”
“We have a recorded conversation,” he added. “It did not go well for her and the lawyer. November 2023, she sues.”
After the hotel fight video viral last May, Diddy released an apology video, in which he never directly mentions Cassie or what took place.
“I’m truly sorry. It’s so difficult to reflect on the darkest times of your life but sometimes you gotta do that,” he began. “I was f—ked up and I hit rock bottom. But I make no excuses. 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.”
While the courts have to consider all accounts, including those from Combs’ team, fans on social media were quick to express their outrage. When The Shade Room posted the attorney’s remarks, the backlash was immediate and intense.
“None of this is an excuse for the way he abused that girl on camera next to those hotel elevators. Y’all have lost your minds,” one person commented, referring to footage of Combs physically assaulting Ventura in a hotel hallway in 2016, which CNN released in May 2024.
The same altercation was referenced in Ventura’s November 2023 civil lawsuit, which accused Combs of physical and sexual abuse, according to Vulture. The lawsuit was settled within 24 hours.
“There was NOTHING mutual about running from a hotel room barefoot only to get snatched up and whooped for trying to get away!” another upset commenter wrote, pointing to the Ventura’s accounts of trying to escape from Combs during their volatile relationship.
“Victim blaming is not how you get off, Diddler,” another user quipped, echoing the sentiments of many who were furious at the perceived attempt by Combs’ legal team to shift the blame onto Ventura.
The comments section was filled with disdain for Agnifilo’s defense strategy, accusing the attorney of trying to paint Ventura as manipulative while downplaying the documented abuse.
“That’s funny, I’ve never seen any videos of Cassie knocking him down and kicking him while he was on the ground! How mutual was that!! These attorneys will say anything,” one user remarked. Another sarcastically added, “Lawyer gotta be related to Trump. Just saying ANYTHING.”
Perhaps the most damning comment summed up the general sentiment, “The lawyer blaming the victim and normalizing what he did is diabolical.”
Surveillance footage of Diddy assaulting Cassie obtained by CNNpic.twitter.com/JUWCqnPwwA
— Kollege Kidd (@KollegeKidd) May 17, 2024
Combs, who was arraigned on Tuesday, Sept. 17, pleaded not guilty to the charges. If convicted, the charges he faces carry sentences ranging from 15 years to life in prison, according to People.
One of the most chilling accusations in the 14-page indictment revolves around what Combs referred to as “freak offs,” where victims allegedly were drugged and coerced into sex. The “All About the Benjamins” rapper is alleged to have orchestrated and recorded these encounters, which sometimes spanned hours or even days.
During raids on Combs’ properties in Miami and Los Angeles earlier this year, investigators allegedly discovered disturbing evidence, including three AR-15 rifles and over 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant, that his employees were instructed to stock his hotel rooms with, and believed to have been used during the “freak offs.”
A detention hearing is the next step in the legal process, where a judge will determine whether Combs poses a flight risk or a danger to the community. It’s also expected that Combs’ defense team will attempt to dismiss some of the charges before trial.
Despite Agnifilo’s attempts to frame Combs as a troubled individual seeking redemption, fans remain unconvinced.
His comments may not be out of nowhere — Combs’ legal team is possibly crafting a defense aimed at presenting him as a victim of toxic relationships who is now on a path to rehabilitation. But for many, this defense strategy rings hollow, especially given the weight of the allegations against him and the video of him stomping out Ventura that they saw.
