Combs deleted his Instagram posts in June, a month after a 2016 video leaked of him attacking his ex-girlfriend.
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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs on August 26, 2023
Sean “Diddy” Combs has returned to Instagram, a month after deleting all of his posts on the social media platform amid his ongoing legal drama.
On Saturday, July 20, the 54-year-old music mogul shared his first new post on Instagram since deleting his Instagram account on June 22.
In the post, Combs celebrated his daughter Chance’s 18th birthday. “My little girl turned 18 today,” he wrote in the caption alongside a photo of his daughter posing on a beach and a memory from her childhood when she slept next to Combs. “I’m so proud of you Chance. I love you. @myfancychance 🖤🙏🏿💫⚡️✨.”
Related: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs deletes all Instagram posts, including Cassie’s apology video, amid legal drama
Combs deleted his account in June, a month after he came under fire following the release of a 2016 surveillance video in May showing him physically abusing his ex-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura in the hallway of a Los Angeles hotel.
At the time, he deleted all of his posts, including a video apologizing to Ventura. In the post, Combs admitted to being “disgusted” by his actions and explained, “It’s so difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, but sometimes you have to.”
“I was devastated. I mean, I was devastated. But I’m not making any excuses. My behavior in that video is inexcusable,” he continued. “I take full responsibility for my behavior in that video. I’m disgusted. I was disgusted when I did it and I’m disgusted now.”
A source close to Diddy told PEOPLE that his decision to delete everything from his Instagram account was “not a strategic decision.”
“Mr. Combs has done this before and deleted his social media profiles many times,” the source added. “The only reason this is being brought up is because all eyes are on him right now. His statements have been covered extensively in the media around the world. This does not take away from his statements and they were not directed at anyone.”
In 2023, Ventura sued Combs in a now-settled case, claiming he sexually trafficked, abused and raped her over a 10-year period. Combs denied her allegations, with his attorney calling them “offensive and outrageous.”
Related: What did Cassie accuse Diddy of? All about the singer’s lawsuit
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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in 2017
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Ventura first spoke out in May, after the 2016 video was released. In a statement she shared on Instagram, the 37-year-old singer expressed her gratitude “for all the love and support from my family, friends, strangers and those I have yet to meet.”
“This journey of healing is never over, but this support means the world to me. Thank you,” she wrote, in part, before acknowledging the backlash she received after filing her lawsuit.
“My only request is that EVERYONE opens their heart and believes the victims the first time,” Ventura added at the time. “It takes a lot of heart to tell the truth from a situation where you were powerless.”
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in more than 170 languages.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to Rainn.org.
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