Sean “Diddy” Combs faces a significant legal setback following a $100 million default judgment issued against him for sexual assault. The judgment was handed down by a Lenawee County Circuit Court judge on Monday, in response to a lawsuit filed by Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith, a 51-year-old Michigan inmate. The lawsuit alleges that Combs drugged and sexually assaulted Cardello-Smith in 1997 during a party in Detroit.
The court has mandated a payment schedule of $10 million per month, beginning October 1. The default judgment came after Combs failed to attend a virtual hearing related to the case.
Marc Agnifilo, Combs’ attorney, has strongly contested the judgment and Cardello-Smith’s claims. “This man is a convicted felon and sexual predator with a long history of criminal behavior,” Agnifilo stated. “Mr. Combs has never heard of him, and he was not properly served with the lawsuit. We anticipate a swift dismissal of this judgment.” A source close to Combs revealed that the legal documents were sent to an outdated address, causing delays in Combs’ response.
Cardello-Smith’s lawsuit claims that he met Combs while working at a Detroit-area restaurant. During a party with a group of women, Cardello-Smith alleges that he felt an unfamiliar hand on him, which he believes was Combs. He further asserts that Combs spiked his drink, causing him to pass out, and that he later awoke to find Combs engaging in sexual activity with a woman. Cardello-Smith claims Combs then told him, “I did this to you too.”
Cardello-Smith, who is currently serving an unrelated sentence, is reportedly a self-taught expert in civil and criminal law. He claims that in August, Combs offered him $2.3 million to settle the lawsuit, which he declined, opting to proceed with legal action. Cardello-Smith alleges that Combs responded with, “You know how we get down,” to which he replied, “I disagree with how you get down.”
While Combs has consistently denied the numerous sexual misconduct allegations against him, he did admit in June to assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, after footage of a 2016 incident surfaced. He apologized, acknowledging that he was “fucked up” at the time.
