Diddy Scores Legal Win as Judge Sets Aside $100M Judgment in Michigan Inmate’s Sexual Assault Lawsuit

Diddy just caught a small break in his legal battles while in federal custody.

TMZ reports a Michigan judge has set aside a $100 million default judgment against him in a sexual assault lawsuit brought by inmate Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith, who claims the music mogul drugged and assaulted him at a 1997 party in Detroit.

During a hearing on Wednesday, Diddy’s attorney, David Fink, argued that Cardello-Smith failed to properly serve the lawsuit, which is required by Michigan law. Judge Anna Marie Anzalone agreed, ruling in Diddy’s favor and setting aside the massive default judgment. The judge also lifted a temporary restraining order that had blocked Diddy from selling any assets to cover potential damages.

Judge Anzalone highlighted that Diddy has a strong chance of winning the case on statute of limitations grounds, as the alleged incident dates back to 1997. Moving forward, Diddy’s legal team is expected to file a motion to dismiss the case altogether.

Cardello-Smith, who is currently serving up to 75 years in Michigan for various criminal sexual conduct and kidnapping charges, alleges that he met Diddy at a Detroit after-party in June 1997. He claims he had drinks with Diddy before passing out and waking up in pain, believing he had been sexually assaulted.

This lawsuit is part of Cardello-Smith’s history of filing legal actions. Besides Diddy, he has also targeted high-profile figures like the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit, alleging abuse by clergy members in his youth. In the case against Diddy, Cardello-Smith claims to possess a 1997 “agreement of silence and confidentiality” signed by Diddy and Michigan officials, though the document’s authenticity remains unverified.

During a court hearing in August, Cardello-Smith further claimed that Diddy offered him $2.3 million to drop the lawsuit, a statement Diddy’s legal team has denied.