LOS ANGELES — In a dramatic turn during his ongoing federal racketeering and sex trafficking trial, Sean “Diddy” Combs is accused of orchestrating a $100,000 cash bribery scheme to bury surveillance footage showing him violently assaulting singer Cassie Ventura in 2016.
On Monday, June 3, government witness Eddy Garcia, a former security worker at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles, testified about how he and a supervisor negotiated a hush deal to suppress the disturbing video after reviewing it. Garcia described how Diddy personally pressured him to retrieve and hand over the footage, addressing him as “Eddy My Angel” and warning that the video could end his career.
Garcia testified that he first received a call from Kristina Khorram, then working for Diddy, who inquired about access to the footage. After directing her to hotel management, Garcia eventually confided to her off the record that “it’s bad.” Later, Diddy himself contacted Garcia, pleading for the video and offering assistance in return. When Garcia said he lacked server access, Diddy encouraged him, saying he could “make it happen” and promised to “take care of” him.
Garcia then enlisted his supervisor, Bill Medrano, who agreed to retrieve the video for $50,000. Garcia relayed the offer to Khorram, who connected him to Diddy. According to Garcia, Diddy responded enthusiastically: “I knew you could do it. Let’s do it right away.”
Medrano accessed the server room, copied the footage to a USB drive, and handed it to Garcia. Garcia arranged to meet Diddy at a West Los Angeles high-rise, where he was met by a bodyguard and brought upstairs. There, Diddy inquired if it was the only copy, and Garcia believed it was.
Diddy then FaceTimed Ventura, who appeared in a hoodie, stating she had a movie coming out and did not want the footage to surface. Diddy requested IDs from everyone involved, including a responding officer, and presented non-disclosure agreements with $1 million in liquidated damages. Garcia testified he earned $10.50 an hour at the time and did not receive a copy of the NDA.
According to Garcia, Diddy counted the money in $10,000 increments using a money-counting machine, stacking the cash until it reached $100,000. The money was handed to Garcia in a brown paper bag. Diddy allegedly warned him, “Don’t make any big purchases,” and escorted him to his car.
The video, first aired by CNN in 2023, shows Diddy kicking, dragging, and throwing objects at Ventura in a hotel hallway. It has become a key piece of evidence in the federal case, which includes serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.
Diddy has pleaded not guilty. His defense team argues the video was manipulated and asserts all sexual encounters were consensual.
Separately, Ventura’s 2023 civil lawsuit against Diddy was settled for $20 million just one day after it was filed.
The trial continues as prosecutors build their case against the music mogul, while the public watches closely.
