BREAKING NEWSSean 'Diddy' Combs to Pay $100 Million Default Judgement in Inmate's Sexual Assault Lawsuit Against Rapper
Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been ordered to pay Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith $10 million after failing to file a response to the inmate's sexual assault lawsuit.
Sean "Diddy" Combs owes Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith a whole lot of money.
On Monday, September 9, the famed rapper was slammed with a $100 million default judgement as a result of Cardello-Smith's sexual assault lawsuit against the embattled Bad Boy Records founder.
Michigan inmate Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith sued Sean 'Diddy' Combs for $100 million in June.
In response to the default judgement, Combs' lawyer Marc Agnifilo declared in a statement obtained by OK!: "This man [Cardello-Smith] 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 resume now includes committing a fraud on the court from prison, as Mr. Combs has never heard of him let alone been served with any lawsuit. Mr. Combs looks forward to having this judgment swiftly dismissed."
Combs was initially sued by Cardello-Smith, who is currently an inmate in Michigan, for $100 million in June, however, the "I'll Be Missing You" hitmaker never filed a a response to the civil complaint, according to legal documents obtained by a news publication.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' lawyer said his client is 'looking forward to having this judgment swiftly dismissed.'
Because of the music producer's lack of response, a hearing for a default judgement was set for Monday, but when Combs didn't show, the judge awarded Cardello-Smith his requested $100 million.
The ruling came roughly one month after Cardello-Smith was granted a temporary restraining order against Combs — who has been slammed with several sexual assault-related lawsuits within the past year.
Cardello-Smith sued Combs in June, accusing the music mogul of sexually assaulting and drugging him during a party in Detroit, Mich., back in 1997.
The prisoner claimed he had been performing oral s-- on a female when he felt a man’s hand — which Cardello-Smith alleged was Combs’ — touch him before offering what he later believed was a spiked drink.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs continues to deny any wrongdoing despite getting hit with several sexual assault-related lawsuits within the past year.
Next thing he knew, Cardello-Smith allegedly woke up to see Combs and a woman having intercourse, accusing the “Finna Get Lose” rapper of admitting: "I did this to you too."
The numerous lawsuits filed against Combs came after his ex-girlfriend, Casandra "Cassie" Ventura was the first to sue her former boyfriend in November 2023.
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Combs and Ventura quickly settled within 24 hours for an undisclosed amount.
This past May, however, resurfaced surveillance footage from 2016 showed Combs beating and abusing Ventura in the hallway of a hotel. He later took to social media with a video apology.
The embattled rapper was first sued by his ex-girlfriend Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura in November 2023.
Other alleged victims — including Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones — have sued the award-winning artist for sexual assault, though he continues to vehemently deny any wrongdoing.
Just last month, Combs' attorney Erica Wolff called Jones' lawsuit "pure fiction," claiming it was "a shameless attempt to create media hype and extract a quick settlement. There was no RICO conspiracy and Mr. Jones was not threatened, groomed, assaulted, or trafficked. We look forward to proving – in a court of law – that all of Mr. Jones’s claims are made-up and must be dismissed," according to a statement obtained by OK!.
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TMZ obtained legal documents regarding Cardello-Smith's sexual assault lawsuit against Combs.
