The Latest On Diddy: Voletta Wallace Responds, Allegations, Grand Jury

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S ean “Diddy” Combs’ 18-year-old daughter Chance Combs, graduated from S ierra Canyon High School this week but the rap mogul was not in attendance. In normal times, he’d likely have congratulated her publicly on his social media accounts, followed by a lavish party and the inevitable big-money gifts that celebrities usually give their children on such occasions.

But Diddy was noticeably absent from the graduation, his social media accounts gone silent since he apologized for his violent 2016 altercation with ex Cassie Ventura, who he dragged, kicked and threw a lamp at while they were staying in a Los Angeles hotel. In 2023, he settled with her the day after she filed a lawsuit alleging a pattern of sexual, emotional and physical abuse throughout their almost decade-long relationship.

The incident was detailed in the lawsuit. This week more revelations were made in a sweeping Rolling Stone story, and federal government authorities are reportedly ready to impanel a grand jury to talk to Combs’ various accusers.

Here is what transpired this week:

Feds Impaneling Grand Jury?

CNN acquired the hotel surveillance video that shows Diddy assaulting Cassie, and they are reporting that federal authorities are poised to impanel a grand jury to investigate the allegations. Combs is the subject of seven civil lawsuits, which include allegations of sexual assault. CNN reports that the accusers have been notified that they may be asked to provide testimony before a grand jury to see if there is enough evidence to indict but have not yet been prepped to do so. The Department of Homeland Security would not say on the record if they have a grand jury in the works but did tell the outlet that the investigation is “ongoing.”

Abuse Allegations Date Back To College

Combs did not graduate from Howard University but did matriculate there in 1987, leaving to pursue his music industry dreams.  A six-month investigation by Rolling Stone magazine was full of explosive allegations about Diddy’s temper and mistreatment of various Bad Boy staffers. The article details abuse going back to his days at one of the most venerated HBCUs in the country. Former Howard students detail witnessing Combs beating a girlfriend with a belt in front of horrified dorm residents. “She was trying to defend herself a little bit,” the witness told RS . “She was crying. And we were telling him, ‘Get off of her.’ We were screaming for her.” The two reporters say they reached out to 300 former Bad Boy artists staffers and industry insiders, ultimately talking to 50, most of whom wanted to remain anonymous.

Voletta Wallace Weighs In

The Notorious B.I.G.’s mother, Voletta Wallace, told Rolling Stone in a separate interview that the abuse allegations and revelations that her son wanted to leave the Bad Boy label in the last months of his life have upset her.

“I’m praying for Cassie. I’m praying for his mother. I don’t want to believe the things that I’ve heard, but I’ve seen [the hotel video],” she said. “I pray that he apologizes to her.”

Former Bad Boy executive Kirk Burrowes says that Diddy, then known as Puff Daddy was jealous of Biggie and Tupac Shakur’s friendship which soured in 1994 when Shakur was shot at a New York City recording studio. Shakur said then that Combs and Wallace had him set up, something that was dismissed at the time. Former gang member Duane “Keefe D” has been arrested for Shakur’s murder after providing details about it on various interview shows. He says that Combs offered him $1M to kill Shakur.

Wallace, now 71, doesn’t appear to believe Combs had anything to do with her son’s death, saying that she liked him.

“I hope that I see Sean one day and the only thing I want to do is slap the daylights out of him. And you can quote me on that.” She added, “Because I liked him. I didn’t want to believe all the awful things, but I’m so ashamed and embarrassed.” And she’s not the only mother of someone connected to Combs who weighed in on his bad behavior. Portia Stewart, the mother of music industry executive Shakir Stewart, said Combs hit her son over the head with a chair in Italy because of his relationship with Kim Porter, the mother of three of Diddy’s children. Stewart needed stitches. He died by suicide in 2009.

Rolling Stone says that Combs was provided with a detailed list of the allegations. In response, his lawyer, Johnathan Davis, told the outlet, “Mr. Combs cannot comment on settled litigation, will not comment on pending litigation, and cannot address every allegation picked up by the press from any source, no matter how unreliable .”

He added, “We are aware that the proper authorities are conducting a thorough investigation and therefore have confidence any important issues will be addressed in the proper forum, where the rules distinguish facts from fiction.”