Michigan inmate wins $100m default judgement against Diddy for alleged 1997 sexual assault
In a major legal blow to Sean “Diddy” Combs, a Michigan inmate has secured a $100 million default judgment against the music mogul for an alleged sexual assault dating back to 1997. The ruling, issued Monday by a Lenawee County Circuit Court Judge, follows a series of sexual-misconduct allegations that have plagued Combs over the past year.
According to Detroit's Metro Times and court documents, the lawsuit was filed by Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith, 51, a Michigan inmate known for his frequent civil lawsuits. Cardello-Smith claims that Combs drugged and sexually assaulted him at a party in Detroit in 1997. The judge also granted a temporary restraining order against Combs and established a payment schedule, requiring Combs to pay $10 million per month starting October 1.
The default judgment was issued after Combs failed to appear for a virtual court hearing on Monday.
Marc Agnifilo, Combs' attorney, strongly contested the ruling and the allegations. "This man is a convicted felon and sexual predator, who has been sentenced on 14 counts of sexual assault and kidnapping over the last 26 years. His latest fraud involves fabricating a lawsuit against Mr. Combs, whom he has never met nor served with any legal papers. Mr. Combs looks forward to having this judgment swiftly overturned." Sources close to Combs told Variety that the lawsuit’s paperwork was sent to an outdated address, preventing Combs' legal team from responding in time.
Cardello-Smith’s lawsuit alleges that he met Combs while working at a Detroit-area restaurant, after which the two attended a party together. According to Cardello-Smith, Combs drugged his drink and sexually assaulted him after he had passed out. The inmate claims that Combs later made an inappropriate remark suggesting that the assault had occurred.
Cardello-Smith, who is serving an unrelated sentence, is described by Metro Times as a self-taught legal expert. He also claims that Combs offered him $2.3 million to settle the case in August, but he refused, opting to pursue the lawsuit.
Although Combs has denied many of the sexual misconduct allegations against him, in June, he admitted to assaulting his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura after video footage surfaced from a 2016 incident. Combs apologized, saying he was "fucked up" at the time.
This latest judgment adds to the growing legal troubles faced by the producer and entrepreneur, who continues to deny the majority of the claims made against him.
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