Sean “Diddy” Combs was slapped with a $100 million default judgment in a sexual assault lawsuit brought by Michigan inmate Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith. This ruling came from a Lenawee County Circuit Court judge after Diddy failed to show up in court or respond to the allegations.
The lawsuit goes as far back as 1997, when Cardello-Smith claims that Diddy had drugged and assaulted him at a Detroit party. The details of the case are shocking.
Cardello-Smith says Diddy later offered him a $2.3-million settlement to drop the suit during a subsequent prison visit-an offer Cardello-Smith refused. Testifying, he recounted the harrowing moment wherein, he says, Diddy uttered, “You know how we get down,” to which he responded, “I disagree with how you get down.” The exchange underlines the serious nature of the allegations on display and the apparent lack of consent.
Diddy‘s lawyers have denied all these accusations, referring to Cardello-Smith as a “convicted felon and admitted sexual predator”. They have also insisted Diddy has never heard of him, but the court ruled in favor of Cardello-Smith. This could be among the biggest judgments ever to an unrepresented, imprisoned inmate. This judge has ordered Diddy to pay $10 million each month since October 1.
However, that is highly contested by Diddy’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo. He says Diddy was never served, calling Cardello-Smith a “convicted felon and sexual predator” who’s committing “fraud on the court”. Agnifilo said he was “very confident” that they would get the judgment thrown out citing, “Mr. Combs has never heard of him let alone been served with any lawsuit.”
Diddy’s lawyers could file a response with the court – appeal the default judgment – and the case would move forward like any regular litigation, where Cardello-Smith would be tasked to prove his allegations before a jury. This is by no means the only serious allegation that has been thrown at Diddy.
Diddy has been accused by multiple people over the years of sexual assault, drugging, and even sex trafficking. Probably one of those that goes top in the list is the recently filed lawsuit by his former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, this November 2023. Cassie similarly accused Diddy of rape and sex trafficking over a decade-long relationship, detailing a harrowing pattern of emotional and physical abuse.
The astonishing thing is that this lawsuit was settled just one day after filing, but it opened the floodgates for other similar complaints by women.
The second lawsuit was filed by Joie Dickerson-Neal, who alleges that Diddy drugged and assaulted her in 1991, while she was a college student. She added the injured-parties even more by claiming he recorded the assault in secret.
Several others, too, came forward detailing drugging and coercions into having sex, including claims that he videotaped them during the sexual assault. These cases painted a picture of Diddy’s actions that was not very good to look at, with accusations ranging back to the early 1990s.
Meanwhile, the federal investigations mounted with the accusations; there were reports that agents raided Diddy’s properties amid an ongoing inquiry into claims of sexual assault and trafficking. A dramatic, disturbing 2016 surveillance video of Diddy kicking and dragging Cassie in a hotel surfaced, with some of her abuse accusations having been corroborated with that.
To these serious allegations, Diddy has responded on social media with denials, referring to the claims as “sickening.” He maintains these are part of a money grab against him because of his fame and fortune. Diddy has also criticized the Adult Survivors Act for being taken advantage of in such a way by individuals looking for financial gain. He has called upon the public to be skeptical regarding these unsubstantiated allegations.
Diddy, through his lawyer after federal raids characterized the actions as a “gross overuse of military-level force.” This was coined with the belief that investigations are an immense lot to bite and too much to handle. As the legal drama continues to unfold, there are questions of accountability and power dynamics within the entertainment industry. Diddy‘s case is a reminder that no one is above the law.regardless of their fame or fortune. The outcome of this case could have.
