John Legend has expressed horror at the sexual assault and abuse allegations against Sean 'Diddy' Combs, saying he was shocked even before the release of security footage showing Combs assaulting his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura.
In an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour, the singer said: 'I was horrified by the allegations that I heard about Mr Combs, and of course horrified by the video evidence that was released after that. But I was horrified by the descriptions that I read before the video evidence came out.'
The footage, obtained by CNN, shows Combs punching and kicking Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016. It corroborates allegations Ventura made in a 2023 lawsuit, where she claimed she was trafficked, raped and beaten over ten years.
Legend called for accountability and support for victims, stating: 'My default stance is to believe women when they make these accusations... and make sure that any kind of accountability and reparations can be made to make these women whole again.'
Following the video's release, Combs issued an apology calling his behaviour 'inexcusable'. Ventura said domestic violence 'broke me down' but she is recovering. Combs faces multiple civil lawsuits alleging sex trafficking and abuse, which he denies.
