Sean “Diddy” Combs allegedly beat his college sweetheart “all over the place” with a belt in front of screaming classmates more than three decades ago, according to a new investigation into the growing number of abuse allegations.
According to multiple witnesses, the incident allegedly occurred when Combs, now 54, was a student at Howard University in Washington, D.C. He told Rolling Stone magazine in an extensive report on the disgraced star’s “history of violence.”
The “Bad Boy 4 Life” rapper was standing outside the university’s Harriet Tubman Quadrangle dorm when he began yelling at his then-girlfriend in a “belligerent” manner, telling her to come outside, a classmate claims.
“He was screaming, yelling and acting like an idiot until she came downstairs,” said a former student who claims to have witnessed the incident.
The witness went on to say Combs appeared to be “very angry” and was “yelling at the top of his lungs” before allegedly hitting his girlfriend “all over” with what appeared to be a belt.
“He really smacked her on the butt,” the witness claimed.
“She was trying to defend herself a little bit. She was crying. We told him ‘Get away from her.’ We were screaming for her.”
Another classmate recalled several panicked female students running around the dorm, knocking on doors and yelling that Combs, who was then known as “Puff,” was assaulting his girlfriend.
According to witnesses, students were saying “Puff is acting crazy. They’re hitting her.”
Combs dropped out of Howard University in 1990 after just one year, but the incident didn’t exactly happen shortly thereafter.
The alleged victim declined to comment when contacted by Rolling Stone, and Combs’ lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
What we know about the allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs
- On March 5, 2016, CNN released an exclusive video of Sean “Diddy” Combs abusing his ex-girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura.
- The Bad Boy Entertainment founder can be seen in this clip Kicking, dragging, stomping, or throwing objects The singer of “Me and U.”
- Although the video has been widely shared, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office has said that Combs cannot be charged over it because the incident happened so long ago that the statute of limitations has expired.
- Diddy released a video on Instagram apologizing for his actions, calling his punch to Ventura “inexcusable” and saying, “I was a mess.”
- Ventura’s attorney, Meredith Firetog, slammed Diddy’s “pathetic” apology, saying Combs’ “recent comments are not about the many people he has hurt, but rather about himself.”
- Ventura filed a lawsuit against Combs in November 2023, alleging multiple allegations, including rape and physical abuse, over a period of more than 10 years.
- Combs and Ventura settled the day after she filed her lawsuit.
- Model Crystal McKinney then filed a separate lawsuit, alleging that she was drugged and forced to perform oral sex during a visit to the rapper’s New York studio in 2003 when she was 22 years old.
- New York City Mayor Eric Adams said city officials were considering giving Combs back his city keys after the horrifying footage surfaced.
The rapper received an honorary doctorate from the university in 2014 and donated $1 million to his alma mater last year.
The newly surfaced campus allegations come after numerous women came forward to accuse Diddy of assault spanning decades, and the disgraced star was forced to apologize after shocking footage of him assaulting them emerged. His then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura 2016.
Since Ventura accused Combs of rape and abuse in November, he has been sued six times for abuse, the most recent being by model Crystal McKinney, who claims Combs drugged her and forced her to perform oral sex on her during a visit to his New York City studio 20 years ago.
Meanwhile, federal investigators are said to be preparing to subpoena Combs’ accusers before a federal grand jury in New York. A source familiar with the matter told CNN.
Combs has previously denied the allegations against him, accusing his accusers of “looking to make a quick buck.”
“I want to be clear: I have not engaged in any of the egregious conduct alleged,” he wrote on social media in December.
But after CNN obtained the footage, he was forced to apologise for hitting Kathy.
“It’s very difficult to look back on the darkest times of your life, but sometimes you have to,” Diddy said in the video. Instagram He did not name Ventura or refer to her directly. “I messed up. I hit rock bottom. But I make no excuses. My behavior in that video is inexcusable.”
