A Michigan inmate, Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith, has been awarded a $100 million default judgment against music mogul Sean “P. Diddy” Combs for alleged sexual assault. The judgment was issued by Lenawee County Circuit Court Judge Anna Marie Anzalone on Monday, after Combs failed to appear at a virtual court hearing.
According to court documents, Cardello-Smith alleged that Combs drugged and sexually assaulted him at a party in Detroit in 1997. Cardello-Smith, who is currently serving time in prison, claimed that he met Combs while working in the restaurant and hospitality industry in Detroit.
The default judgment was granted after Combs failed to formally respond to the lawsuit, which was filed by Cardello-Smith. The payment is scheduled to begin on October 1, with installments of $10 million per month.
This is not the first time Cardello-Smith has taken on Combs. In early August, he was granted a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the music mogul, which prevented Combs from selling assets that could be used to compensate Cardello-Smith.
During a court hearing in August, Cardello-Smith claimed that Combs offered him $2.3 million to dismiss the lawsuit. However, Cardello-Smith refused, and the lawsuit continued.
Combs’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, has disputed the allegations, stating that Cardello-Smith is a convicted felon and sexual predator who has a history of committing fraud. Agnifilo claimed that Combs has never heard of Cardello-Smith and was never served with the lawsuit.
The judgment is believed to be one of the largest default judgments granted to a non-attorney and an inmate in history. Combs has recently listed his Beverly Hills mansion for sale for $61.5 million.
The case is ongoing, and it is unclear whether Combs will appeal the judgment or attempt to settle the case out of court.
