“She was scared”—Security guard recalls Diddy seemingly offering bribe after Cassie hotel incident

A security guard has testified in Sean Diddy Combs’ federal s*x trafficking trial, sharing the horrific scene that he claims he saw during the 2016 fight between the musician and his then girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura.

Israel Florez, now a police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department, on May 12 testified that he responded to a call for a welfare check on the sixth floor of the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles.

According to a report Today, Florez was employed as hotel security at the time and was summoned to the room where Cassie looked upset and scared.

Florez, in his testimony, said that Ventura was afraid; he described her and stated that she was huddled in a corner with her hood up, trying not to be seen. Florez pointed out that Diddy was also present and was allegedly clothed only in a towel. Florez stated,

"She was scared. She was in the corner, hood on, covered up. I couldn’t see her face, she was pretty much in the corner. On the floor was a destroyed flower vase."

He testified that when Ventura tried to walk away to get her phone, Combs blocked her. Florez then stood near the doorway and opened the door to allow her to leave safely.

More about Israel Florez's encounter with Diddy as the first day of testimony in his s*x trafficking trial ends

According to Florez, before he left the scene, Sean Diddy Combs made an unexpected gesture as he handed out a chunk of money to the security guard, which Florez defined as a bribe. He also said that Combs attempted to seize the security team’s phones, suspecting he was being recorded. Israel Florez mentioned,

"I started to leave and (Combs) called for me. He had a sack of money and he threw it at me and said, ‘Don’t tell anyone.'"

Video of the assault, which captured Combs striking Ventura in the hallway of the hotel, was presented as evidence in his trial case. The video had become public three days later and led to Diddy’s apology video, in which he acknowledged having hit rock bottom in the past and his pursuit of professional help after the incident.

New details are emerging in Sean Diddy Combs’ ongoing federal s*x trafficking trial which include allegations of abuse, manipulation, and drug-fueled s*x parties.

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According to the prosecution, Combs operated a criminal enterprise for more than two decades in which he exploited his standing and workers to plan or cover up acts of violence, physical intimidation, or profit-making, as per NBC News.

Among the key figures in the case is R&B singer Cassie Ventura, who alleged that Diddy physically abused her repeatedly and blackmailed her, including threatening to release intimate s*x videos. Bodyguards and employees helped Combs commit and conceal crimes that included s*x trafficking, arson, and bribery, Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson told the court.

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