Diddy allegedly gave a resort security guard a substantial amount of cash to ensure silence regarding the allegations of violence involving Cassie, according to the testimony provided during the ongoing trial.

The first key witness to take the stand in the high-profile Diddy sex trafficking case on Monday was the assistant director of security at the InterContinental Los Angeles Century City at Beverly Hills Hotel. He faced intense questioning concerning the infamous 2016 altercation between Diddy and Cassie that has raised significant public interest and concern.

The primary witness, Israel Florez, testified that he received an alarming report about a woman in distress on the sixth floor around 11 AM. Upon reviewing the security cameras, he observed Diddy pacing back and forth anxiously, which raised immediate concerns for the individuals involved and the situation at hand.

Florez recounted to the jury how he quickly rushed to the scene, only to find Diddy clad in a towel and Cassie lying on the floor. He intervened, advising them that if they were having an argument, they should take it back to their room. During this encounter, he noted the presence of a shattered vase on the floor and informed Diddy that the damage would be charged to the hotel room, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

Cassie reportedly requested her phone and bag, expressing her desire to leave the premises; however, Diddy allegedly insisted that she could not depart. This statement was corroborated by Florez during his testimony, highlighting the tension and conflict present during that moment.

Florez further testified that Diddy later called for him, presenting a substantial stack of cash and instructing him not to disclose any details about the incident. Florez, however, refused the money, asserting that he preferred the damage costs to be charged to the room, indicating his commitment to upholding hotel policy and integrity in a challenging situation.

The resort security guard testified that he approached Diddy’s room to remind him of the hotel’s policies. Upon opening the door, Diddy allegedly grabbed his phone and inquired whether he was recording him. Florez then described a tense moment where he had to pin Diddy against the wall to assert control over the situation.

Florez explained that he documented the incident by taking pictures of the broken vase for an incident report and recorded two videos of the surveillance footage using his iPhone. He mentioned that he wanted to show the footage to his wife at home, indicating his intent to maintain transparency regarding the events that transpired.

Florez reported that he had the following two days off from work. Upon returning, he sought the surveillance video related to the incident but discovered that it had mysteriously disappeared and he never saw it again until it resurfaced recently, raising questions about the hotel’s handling of the situation.

During cross-examination, Diddy’s attorney, Brian Metal, pressed Florez on whether law enforcement had been contacted regarding the incident. Florez replied that they had not. Metal further inquired why Florez had not included this information in his report, as well as the part about Diddy allegedly telling Cassie she wasn’t allowed to leave. Florez explained that he had not captured every detail in his reports, suggesting possible gaps in the documentation.

Metal posed a challenging question to Florez, pointing out that he had been offered a bribe, yet had he not instructed Diddy to cover the cost of the vase? Florez confirmed, “Yes,” indicating the complexity of the situation and the ethical dilemmas faced by hotel staff in such scenarios.

The prosecution revisited the topic and asked Florez to clarify what Diddy said when he allegedly attempted to offer cash for silence. Florez testified that Diddy expressed a desire for no one to learn about the incident, highlighting the extent to which he wanted to keep the situation under wraps.

Florez also provided crucial testimony stating that the video footage depicts Diddy allegedly dragging Cassie back to the room. Metal questioned whether there were any gaps in the footage due to the motion-sensitive cameras, to which Florez confirmed, “Yes,” indicating the possibility of incomplete information being captured in the recordings.