Howard University announces revocation of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ honorary degree following ‘disturbing’ CCTV footage
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs faces another blow as Howard University announces the revocation of his honorary degree and severs all financial ties with him.
Sean Diddy Combs poses at the Met Gala, an annual fundraising gala held for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute with this year’s theme “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty”, in New York City, New York, U.S., May 1, 2023. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo(REUTERS)
“The Howard University Board of Trustees voted unanimously today to accept the return by Mr. Sean Combs of the honorary degree conferred upon him in 2014,” spokesperson for the university stated in an official statement.
“This acceptance revokes all honors and privileges associated with the degree. Accordingly, the Board has directed that his name be removed from all documents listing honorary degree recipients of Howard University.”
Howard University will return Diddy’s $1 million donation
The spokesperson also noted that, Howard will “immediately terminate a 2016 gift agreement with Mr. Combs, disband the scholarship program in his name, return his $1 million contribution, and terminate a 2023 pledge agreement with the Sean Combs Foundation” and “no payments toward the $1 million pledge have been due or made by the Sean Combs Foundation as of this date, therefore no funds are due to be returned under the 2023 pledge agreement.”
Last month, CNN posted a CCTV footage where Diddy was seen throwing punches and kicks at his former flame, Cassie Ventura, in a Los Angeles hotel corridor. The footage shows the music mogul chasing the singer out of a hotel room, grabbing her by the back of the neck, throwing her to the floor, kicking her twice, dragging her back to the room, and throwing objects on her.
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The spokesperson explained, “Mr. Combs’ behavior as captured in a recently released video is so fundamentally incompatible with Howard University’s core values and beliefs that he is deemed no longer worthy to hold the institution’s highest honor.”
“The University is unwavering in its opposition to all acts of interpersonal violence.”
The allegations made by Ventura, 37, in a November 2023 lawsuit, which cited physical and sexual abuse over the course of their 10-year relationship. Ventura reached an undisclosed settlement with Combs shortly after filing her suit.
The media mogul initially called Ventura’s claims false but later released an apology video, acknowledging the incident as “inexcusable” and expressing disgust with himself.
Ventura, while thanking the public for their support, lamented that domestic violence “broke her down” and revealed her ongoing healing journey.
“I went and I sought out professional help, started going to therapy and rehab, had to ask God for his mercy and grace,” she said.
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Despite the video’s “extremely disturbing” contents, the LA County District Attorney’s Office has explained that it cannot bring charges against Combs due to the statute of limitations.
Combs faces similar claims from six other individuals, all of which he has denied.
