Shawn Dearing, a former male escort hired by Sean "Diddy" Combs for his alleged "Freak Off" parties with ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, recently revealed in an interview with Michael Knowles that he was supposed to be present the night Diddy assaulted Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway. The 2016 incident was captured on surveillance footage that later went viral.Taking the stand under the name “Skyler” at the music mogul's federal s*x trafficking trial, Dearing testified about the power dynamics between Combs and Ventura, describing a culture of control and psychological abuse.During the July 19, 2025 interview with Michael Knowles, Dearing said that although he wasn't at the hotel attack, he was “supposed to be there that night.""I was supposed to be there that night, and yeah, it would have been - I don't know what would have happened. But that's how I like to see it...I don't never start a fight, but...I would like to bring it down. I would like to try to tone it down," Dearing said.Former escort Shawn Dearing's comments about Diddy and Cassie exploredDuring his interview with Knowles, Shawn Dearing recounted interactions he witnessed between Diddy and Cassie during the alleged “Freak Off” sessions, which Combs' defense attorneys claimed were coercive s*x parties. He described one incident in particular when Cassie allegedly wouldn’t acknowledge him until Diddy would come into the room. Dearing said:"So, there was a few times where I got to see that side of the Diddy, where it was all about power, and her and I can have no interaction without him there, cause there was a moment...we're naked and on a couch, and Diddy kind of gets up and walks, and she just kind of pauses...and I kind of lean back on the couch...[to say] something just to kind of to break the ice in a sense, and she just goes, 'Not till he comes back.' Just, 'No, no, wait till he comes back.'"Though Dearing said he never saw physical abuse firsthand, he sensed an atmosphere of fear and obligation.The 2016 video footage displayed Combs physically assaulting Cassie in the hallway of the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles. In the video, he is seen chasing her, kicking her, and dragging her. According to Cassie's later testimony, the assault occurred after she tried to escape a “Freak Off” that got out of hand. Dearing said he first became aware of the incident from reporters who obtained chat logs that verified his expected attendance that evening.Reflecting on what might have happened had he been present, Dearing expressed a mix of regret and resolve."I like to think there's a chance that I could have hopefully brought the spirit down... I would try to bear hug him if I saw him beating her up," he said. "I don't know what would have happened, but I would have tried to quell the situation."According to People, Dearing now lives in Hawaii and no longer works as an escort. He told the outlet that he decided to come forward only to corroborate Ventura's testimony after his identity was exposed in court.On July 2, 2025, Sean Combs was convicted of two counts of transporting to engage in prostitution but was acquitted of more serious charges, including s*x trafficking and racketeering. His sentencing is scheduled for October 3, 2025.