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Diddy responds after he’s ordered to pay $100M in sexual assault lawsuit

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ attorney Marc Agnifilo has said the embattled music executive is looking forward to clearing his name after a Michigan court ordered him to pay $100 million to an inmate who filed a sexual assault lawsuit against him.

Per Reuters, Derrick Lee Smith, who is currently serving a 75-year prison sentence after he was found guilty of sexual misconduct and kidnapping, was on Monday awarded the $100 million as a default judgment because of Combs’ absence in court.

Smith, 51, in the lawsuit alleged he was at a party with Combs, 54, in Detroit in 1997 when the Bad Boy Records founder drugged and sexually assaulted him, TMZ reported. The plaintiff claimed that prior to the alleged assault, he and Diddy had been drinking and smoking marijuana.

The lawsuit also claimed that the pair together with other women at the party, had undressed at a certain point. Smith alleged that he later sensed a male was touching his left buttock while he was performing oral sex on a woman. He claimed that the man was Combs.

Smith further claimed that he later passed out after Combs gave him a spiked drink, adding that he woke up after some hours and saw Combs and another woman engaged in sexual intercourse. He claimed Combs then told him, “I did this to you too.”

Legal documents showed that Combs failed to respond to Smith’s filing, and the defendant did not attend Monday’s default judgment hearing, per TMZ. The judge awarded Smith the $100 million he was seeking because of that.

Combs, per the payment terms, has been ordered to pay Smith $10 million monthly, with the first installment to be made on October 1. Meanwhile, Combs’ attorney in a statement denied the allegations and accused Smith of committing fraud.

“This man [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,” Agnifilo said. “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.”

As previously reported by Face2Face Africa, Combs currently remains under public scrutiny after CNN shared a video of him assaulting his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura at a Los Angeles hotel in 2016. The rapper and music executive had initially denied allegations of rape and abuse from Cassie. But he later issued an apology on social media after the circulation of the video.

Combs and Cassie started dating in 2007 and had an on-and-off relationship for over 10 years. The American music mogul signed Cassie to his label in 2005 when she was 19 and he was 37.

And Cassie, now 38, initially filed a lawsuit in New York federal court alleging that Combs brought her into his “ostentatious, fast-paced, and drug-fueled lifestyle” after she met him. The lawsuit further alleged that Combs was “prone to uncontrollable rage” and physically abused her during their relationship including punching, beating, kicking, and stomping on her.

It alleged that Combs urged Cassie to use drugs and forced her to have sex with other men while he masturbated and filmed. The lawsuit was later dismissed after both parties reached an undisclosed settlement.

In March, agents with Homeland Security raided Combs’ Miami and Los Angeles homes in connection with a federal sex trafficking investigation. CNN reported that federal investigators were making arrangements for Combs’ accusers to appear before a New York City grand jury. Combs is also facing multiple sexual assault lawsuits.

 

Source: face2faceafrica.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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