A Michigan inmate is up $100 million after winning a default judgment against Diddy. On Monday (Sept. 9), Michigan Judge Anna Marie Anzalone ruled in favor of Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith.
The 51-year-old previously filed a civil lawsuit against Sean Combs, describing a sexual assault incident from 1997. Combs was served with the lawsuit on July 6, 2024, per the judge. Derrick is currently serving time for an unrelated sentence in Earnest C. Brooks Correctional Facility in Michigan, per Detroit’s Metro Times.
Judge Anzalone awarded Derrick the $100 million after Diddy failed to appear for the virtual hearing on Monday. According to Metro Times, Diddy must begin paying Derrick in $10 million monthly increments starting Oct. 1.
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Here’s What Derrick’s Lawsuit Accuses Diddy Of
In his lawsuit, Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith alleged that Sean Combs drugged and sexually assaulted him after meeting at a restaurant in Detroit. The lawsuit reportedly states that Diddy and Derrick attended a party and got naked with a group of women. While Derrick allegedly performed oral sex on one woman, he claims Diddy placed his hand on his left buttock, per TMZ.
Sometime after, the now-inmate alleges Diddy offered him a spiked drink, which made him pass out. When he regained consciousness, Derrick said Diddy was having sexual intercourse with a woman and allegedly told him, “I did this to you, too.” It’s unclear if, at the time, Derrick sought any medical attention or filed a police report.
Michigan Inmate Previously Claimed Sean Combs Visited Him In Prison With An Offer To Drop His Lawsuit
In an August 7 hearing, Derrick sought two actions against Combs: a restraining order and a preliminary injunction to prevent Diddy from selling a property or its assets to avoid paying court-ordered judgments.
During that hearing, Derrick represented himself, claiming that Diddy and a financial advisor he employed held two meetings with him within two weeks. He reportedly showed prison facility visitation records to back this up.
Derrick alleged that during the first meeting, Diddy offered him $2.3 million to drop his lawsuit. Combs also allegedly told Derrick he wasn’t planning to respond to his civil lawsuit and would take a chance with the default judgment. The producer allegedly reacted with, “You know how we get down,” when Derrick rejected the offer and questioned if Combs was trying to hide his money. In response, Derrick allegedly said, “I disagree with how you get down.”
Ultimately, the judge reportedly granted Derrick a restraining order and a preliminary injunction due to their failure to appear in court. At the time, she also set the preliminary hearing that happened yesterday (Sept. 9).
See the full Aug. 7 hearing below and what Derrick had to say.
Diddy’s Lawyer Reacts To Default Judgment
For nearly a year, the former music mogul has been hit with sexual misconduct allegations in multiple lawsuits. Now, his lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, has told TMZ that Derrick’s claims are not factual.
“This man [Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith] is a convicted felon and sexual predator, who has been sentenced on 14 counts of sexual assault and kidnapping over the last 26 years. 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,” the lawyer said.
One day before the $100 million default judgment, Diddy reportedly listed his Los Angeles mansion for $61.5 million, per PEOPLE. This was the same home that federal agents raided in March.
Additionally, this past weekend, the music mogul was spotted in Harlem with former Bad Boy artist G. Dep.
