A man who filed a lawsuit against American rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs, accusing him of sexual assault, has been awarded $100 million (£76.6 million) in a default judgment after Combs failed to respond to the allegations. Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith, 51, claimed that Combs drugged and sexually assaulted him at a party in Detroit, Michigan, in 1997. Combs’ legal team has categorically denied these accusations.
Cardello-Smith, currently serving a prison sentence for unrelated offenses, is described by local news outlets as a convicted felon with a history of filing civil lawsuits. Combs’ attorneys have labeled Cardello-Smith’s legal actions as a “fraud on the court.” They informed to a news channel that Combs plans to challenge the recent court ruling.
Default judgments are issued by courts when a defendant fails to respond to a lawsuit within the given timeframe. In this case, Combs’ lawyers assert that he was unaware of the lawsuit because he had not been properly served with notice. They intend to seek the reversal of the judgment issued on Monday.
This lawsuit is one of several recent allegations of sexual misconduct against Combs, a prominent figure in the music industry known for his influence and success as a mogul.
The $100 million award was granted to Cardello-Smith by Judge Anna Marie Anzalone of the Lenawee County Circuit Court after Combs did not appear for a hearing scheduled for September 9th.
According to the Detroit Metro Times, Cardello-Smith’s interaction with Combs dates back to the 1990s when Cardello-Smith worked in the restaurant and hospitality sector in Detroit. During the court proceedings, Cardello-Smith claimed that Combs had recently offered him a settlement of $2.3 million to drop the lawsuit, but he refused the offer. He further stated that he continues to have contact with Combs and presented documents showing Combs’ name in a prison visitation log. However, Combs’ attorney, Marc Agnifilo, refuted these claims, stating that Combs has never met or known Cardello-Smith.
Cardello-Smith is currently incarcerated for charges unrelated to this case, including sexual misconduct and kidnapping. It has been reported that he educated himself on criminal and civil law while in prison and has since built a reputation for challenging the judicial system by filing numerous lawsuits.
In addition to this lawsuit, other allegations of abuse have surfaced against Combs. One such claim involves his former long-term partner, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura. Combs reportedly settled the matter out of court by paying Ventura an undisclosed amount. Although the rapper initially denied all allegations, he later issued an apology after CCTV footage from 2016 emerged in May, showing him allegedly throwing and kicking Ventura in a hotel hallway.
Further complicating Combs’ legal troubles, federal agents conducted raids on two of his properties in March, as part of an ongoing investigation into sex trafficking. Combs’ attorney at the time described the raids as an “unprecedented ambush,” asserting his client’s innocence in the matter.
As the legal battle unfolds, Combs’ team continues to deny all allegations, stating that they are baseless and without merit. However, the recent default judgment represents a significant development in the case, highlighting the ongoing controversies surrounding the rapper and his public image.
