Issues couldn’t be going any worse for Diddy, particularly now {that a} Michigan man who’s presently incarcerated, Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith, secured a $100M judgment in opposition to the music mogul, as first reported by the Detroit Metro-Occasions. Cardello-Smith accused Combs of drugging and sexually assaulting him at a celebration in Detroit again in 1997. The judgment got here after Combs failed to look at a courtroom listening to. This in the end led the decide at hand down a default ruling in favor of Cardello-Smith. Sadly for Diddy, that is the tip of the iceberg relating to his authorized points. Over the previous few months, lawsuits have piled on as he faces allegations of sexual assault.
The Origins Of The Lawsuit
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 24: (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Sean “Diddy” Combs performs onstage throughout the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Pageant at T-Cell Enviornment on September 24, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Picture by Kevin Winter/Getty Photographs for iHeartRadio)
Cardello-Smith, now 51, claims he crossed paths with Combs within the late Nineties whereas working in Detroit’s hospitality business. Based on Cardello-Smith’s claims, Combs drugged and assaulted him at a celebration round this time. Regardless of the incident occurring over twenty years in the past, Cardello-Smith took authorized motion in 2024. Representing himself in courtroom, Cardello-Smith, who’s serving a 75-year-sentence for legal sexual conduct and kidnapping, per USA As we speak, has a historical past of submitting civil lawsuits, gaining notoriety as a self-taught pupil of legislation whereas serving time within the Michigan jail system.
The case gained momentum when Lenawee County Circuit Courtroom Decide Anna Marie Anzalone granted Cardello-Smith a brief restraining order in opposition to Combs in August. Decide Anzalone issued this order to stop Combs from liquidating his belongings earlier than the courtroom might rule on potential damages.
Combs’ Alleged Makes an attempt To Settle
Based on courtroom paperwork, Combs allegedly tried to settle the case out of courtroom. He reportedly provided Cardello-Smith $2.3 million to drop the lawsuit. Cardello-Smith additionally supplied the courts with jail facility info, together with alleged proof of Diddy’s identify logged into the visitation data. Nonetheless, Cardello-Smith rejected the supply and indicated that he wished to proceed with the case. In a digital courtroom listening to, Cardello-Smith recounted a dialog with Combs the place the music producer reportedly stated, “You know the way we get down.” Cardello-Smith instructed the decide that he responded to Diddy, saying, “I disagree with the way you get down.”
A Landmark Judgment
On September ninth, 2024, the courtroom awarded Cardello-Smith a default judgment of $100M after Combs failed to look for the digital listening to. The courtroom grants a default judgment when a defendant doesn’t reply or fails to attend a legally required courtroom continuing. This might probably be one of many largest judgments ever awarded to an inmate or a self-represented litigant in historical past.
Diddy’s Lawyer Responds
Keith Ranieres lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, speaks to the press as he arrives at Brooklyn Federal Courtroom on Might 7, 2019, in New York. – The trial of Keith Raniere, a “self-help” guru who ran a secretive society of ladies intercourse slaves branded along with his initials, begins Tuesday in New York, the place his former feminine supporters could also be known as to testify in opposition to him. (Picture by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Picture credit score ought to learn TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP by way of Getty Photographs)
Whatever the judgment, it seems that Diddy and his authorized group are able to file an enchantment. In a press release supplied to the media, Diddy’s lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, strongly denied the allegations. “This man is a convicted felon and sexual predator, who has been sentenced on 14 counts of sexual assault and kidnapping during the last 26 years,” the assertion reads. “His resume now consists of committing a fraud on the courtroom from jail, as Mr. Combs has by no means heard of him not to mention been served with any lawsuit. Mr. Combs seems ahead to having this judgment swiftly dismissed.”
A Rising Listing Of Authorized Troubles For Diddy
Cardello-Smith’s lawsuit is only one in a sequence of authorized points dealing with Sean Combs in 2024. Over the previous yr, Combs has grow to be the goal of a number of lawsuits, many involving allegations of sexual assault or violence. These accusations have more and more tarnished his as soon as untouchable picture as a music mogul, and the $100 million judgment solely provides to the rising listing of authorized challenges he faces.
Earlier this yr, a video leaked of Diddy assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Cassie, after the 2 reached a settlement in her lawsuit in opposition to him, the place she accused him of bodily and sexual abuse. One other bombshell lawsuit filed by producer Lil Rod equally accused Diddy of abuse whereas claiming that the mogul didn’t pay him for the work on The Love Album. Moreover, there have been rumors that Diddy may very well be topic to a federal investigation.
About The Writer
Aron A. is a options editor for HotNewHipHop. Starting his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the largest tales within the tradition over the previous few years.
All through his time, Aron’s helped introduce a lot of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our viewers, figuring out regional tendencies and highlighting hip-hop from throughout the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has additionally made a concerted effort to place spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as a part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview sequence that he created and launched in 2021.
Aron additionally broke a lot of tales by his intensive interviews with beloved figures within the tradition. These embody business vets (High quality Management co-founder Kevin “Coach Ok” Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Types P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Huge Daddy Kane), and the following era of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Overseas, Denzel Curry). Aron additionally penned cowl tales with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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