Sean 'Diddy' Combs Loses $100M Default Judgment to Michigan Inmate in Sex Assault Lawsuit

Mar. 15, 2025

Derrick Cardello-Smith; Sean “Diddy Combs” in Beverly Hills in 2020.Photo:Michigan Department of Corrections; Jon Kopaloff/Getty

Michigan Department of Corrections; Jon Kopaloff/Getty

A Michigan inmate who claims thatSean “Diddy” Combsdrugged and sexually assaulted him at a party nearly 30 years ago has won a $100 million default judgment against the hip-hop mogul.

“This man is a convicted felon and sexual predator, who has been sentenced on 14 counts of sexual assault and kidnapping over the last 26 years,” Marc Agnifilo, Combs’ attorney, tells PEOPLE in a statement. “His resume now includes committing a fraud on the court from prison, as Mr. Combs has never heard of him let alone been served with any lawsuit. Mr. Combs looks forward to having this judgment swiftly dismissed.”

Court records show that Cardello-Smith — who is serving up to 75 years in prison on first-degree criminal sexual conduct and kidnapping charges, percourt records— filed a complaint against Combs in June, and in August was granted a temporary restraining order against the embattled star.

Sean “Diddy” Combs at an event in Atlanta in June 2021.Paras Griffin/Getty

Paras Griffin/Getty

The Detroit Metro Timesreported that the restraining order was filed in order to keep Combs from selling any assets that could potentially be “used to compensate Cardello-Smith for possible damages.” The outlet also reported that Cardello-Smith has “a long history of challenging the judicial system” with lawsuits after having taught himself criminal and civil law while incarcerated.

Cardello-Smith said during a court hearing in August that Combs visited him in prison and offered him $2.3 million to dismiss the lawsuit, according to theGuardian.

He and Combs allegedly met at an afterparty at a Detroit Holiday Inn in 1997, and went to a private hotel room together with two women, according to the complaint, perUSA Today.

Combs allegedly touched Cardello-Smith’s buttocks while the latter was having sex with one of the women, and offered him a drink. Cardello-Smith reportedly said in the complaint that he “began getting drowsy and started to pass out,” and later awoke to find himself bleeding and in pain. He claims to have filed a police report following the incident, but it remains unclear what came of it.

Combs is currently in the midst of anumber of other sexual assault lawsuits, through which he has maintained his innocence.

“No matter how many lawsuits are filed, it won’t change the fact that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted or sex trafficked anyone. We live in a world where anyone can file a lawsuit for any reason and without any proof. Fortunately, a fair and impartial judicial process exists to find the truth, and Mr. Combs is confident he will prevail against these and other baseless claims in court,” Diddy’s attorney Jonathan Davis told PEOPLE on Monday, Sept. 9.

source: people.com