Diddy allegedly 'hit' his college girlfriend with a belt

US News

By Émilie Grue

Sean “Diddy” Combs allegedly beat a college girlfriend “all over” with a belt in front of screaming classmates more than 30 years ago, according to a new investigation into mounting accusations of abuse.

The alleged incident occurred when Combs, now 54, was a student at Howard University in Washington, D.C., multiple witnesses told Rolling Stone in a wide-ranging report on “history of violent » from the disgraced star.

The “Bad Boy 4 Life” rapper was standing outside the college's Harriet Tubman Quadrangle dorm when he began yelling “belligerently” for his then-girlfriend to come out, a classmate claimed.

“He screamed and screamed and acted like an idiot until she came down,” said one former student, who claimed to have witnessed the ordeal.

Combs seemed “super angry” and was “screaming at the top of his lungs” — then allegedly used what appeared to be a belt to hit the girlfriend “all over the place,” the witness continued.

He “hit her butt – like he really whipped her butt,” the alleged witness claimed.

“She was trying to defend herself a little. She cried. And we said to him: “Let her go”. We were screaming for her.

Another classmate remembers several panicked female students running around the dorm, banging on doors and yelling that Combs — then known as “Puff” — allegedly attacked his girlfriend.

“Puff is out here acting crazy. He beats her,” the students allegedly said, according to a witness.

The alleged incident did not occur immediately, although Combs dropped out of Howard University in 1990 after only one year.

The alleged victim declined to comment when reached by Rolling Stone. Combs' attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

Here's what we know about the allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs

• CNN released exclusive video of Sean “Diddy” Combs abusing his ex-girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura, on March 5, 2016.
• The Bad Boy Entertainment founder can be seen in the clip kicking, dragging, stomping and throwing objects at the “Me and U” singer.
• Despite the viral clip, the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office said it could not prosecute Combs over the video because the incident took place too long ago and the statute of limitations has expired.
• Diddy posted a video apologizing for his actions on Instagram, citing his “inexcusable behavior” for beating Ventura and saying, “I was screwed.”
• Ventura's attorney, Meredith Firetog, blasted Diddy's “pathetic” apology, saying Combs' “most recent statement is more about himself than the many people he has hurt.”
• Ventura filed a lawsuit against Combs in November 2023 based on several allegations, including rape and physical abuse over more than a decade.
• Combs and Ventura settled the lawsuit a day after she filed it.
• Model Crystal McKinney later filed a separate lawsuit accusing the rapper of drugging her and forcing her to perform oral sex on him during a 2003 visit to his New York studio, when she was 22 .
• New York Mayor Eric Adams said his administration was considering taking back the key to the city from Combs after the horrific images surfaced.

The rapper received an honorary doctorate from the college in 2014 and last year gave $1 million to his alma mater.

The newly surfaced campus allegation emerged after a slew of other women came forward to accuse Diddy of assault spanning decades – with the disgraced star forced to apologize after the broadcast of disturbing footage of him beating his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016.

Since Ventura accused Combs of rape and abuse in November, he has been the subject of six abuse lawsuits – including the latest from model Crystal McKinney, who claims he drugged her and forced her to perform oral sex on him during a visit to his New York. City studio twenty years ago.

Meanwhile, federal investigators are now reportedly preparing to bring Combs' accusers before a federal grand jury in the Big Apple, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.

Combs has previously denied the allegations against him, accusing those suing him of “looking for a quick payday.”

“Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the horrible things alleged,” he wrote on social media last December.

However, he was later forced to apologize for beating Cassie after the footage was obtained by CNN.

“It's so hard to reflect on the darkest times in your life, but sometimes you have to,” Diddy said in an Instagram video in which he did not name or refer to Ventura directly. “I was fed up. I hit rock bottom – but I can't find any excuses. My behavior in this video is inexcusable.