Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith, a 51-year-old serving time for sexual assault and kidnapping convictions, secured a $100 million default judgment against hip-hop mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs in Lenawee County Circuit Court in Michigan on September 9, 2024—only to have the victory erased nine days later.
The case began in June 2024 when Cardello-Smith sued Combs, alleging that the music executive drugged and sexually assaulted him at a Holiday Inn in Detroit in June 1997. According to Cardello-Smith's account, he met Combs through his job at Fishbone's Rhythm Kitchen in Greektown. At a party, Cardello-Smith claims Combs offered him a spiked drink; after losing consciousness, he allegedly woke to find Combs engaged in sexual activity with a woman who claimed, "I did this to you too."
When Combs failed to appear for a virtual hearing, Judge Anna Marie Anzalone entered a default judgment in Cardello-Smith's favor on September 9. The award—potentially the largest judgment ever secured by a current Michigan inmate—included a mandatory monthly payment of $10 million beginning in October. A temporary restraining order was also issued to prevent Combs from liquidating assets.
But the victory proved short-lived. On September 13, Combs' legal team, represented by attorneys Marc Agnifilo and David Fink, filed an 83-page motion to vacate the judgment. They argued that service of the lawsuit was improper under Michigan law and that Combs had no knowledge of the suit—learning of it only through media reports.
"We've never heard of him," Agnifilo stated, characterizing Cardello-Smith as a "convicted felon and sexual predator" engaging in "fraud on the court."
On September 18, just nine days after the judgment was handed down, Judge Anzalone vacated both the $100 million award and the asset freeze. The judge cited two reasons: the statute of limitations had expired on the alleged 1997 incident, and the service of process was defective under Michigan law. A hearing was scheduled for October 2024 to determine next steps.
Cardello-Smith responded defiantly, telling media outlets: "This isn't over."
The case has already drawn scrutiny for several reasons. Court documents reveal that Cardello-Smith is known for filing frequent civil lawsuits from prison. He also claimed—though unverified in any court ruling—that Combs had offered him $2.3 million to drop the suit. Combs' legal team seized on these details to suggest the inmate was pursuing a frivolous claim.
