Diddy's $100 million default judgment overturned in Michigan inmate sexual assault case

Last week, Michigan inmate Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith was awarded a $100 million default judgment against Bad Boy Entertainment CEO Sean “Diddy” Combs, accusing the music mogul of drugging and sexually assaulting him at a Detroit party in 1997. But that hefty judgment has now been overturned by a Michigan judge, throwing the case into a new phase of litigation.

Accordingly TMZThe default judgment was dismissed during a hearing on Wednesday. Diddy's attorney, David Fink, successfully argued that Cardello-Smith did not properly serve the lawsuit under Michigan law, prompting Judge Anna Marie Anzalone to overturn the judgment.

Cardello-Smith, who is currently incarcerated, had claimed Diddy attacked him at a party in Detroit over two decades ago, but Judge Anzalone pointed out that the music mogul had a good chance of winning the case due to statute of limitations. The judge pointed out that the allegations date back to an incident in 1997, so the case is unlikely to hold up without the necessary evidence to be filed in court in a timely manner.

In addition to overturning the $100 million judgment, Judge Anzalone also lifted the injunction that had been placed against Diddy preventing him from selling assets to cover the potential damages.

With the default judgment now overturned, the case will proceed like any other lawsuit, although Diddy's legal team is expected to file a motion to dismiss the suit. The rapper and business tycoon, who has faced various legal challenges over the years, is once again defending his reputation in the face of serious allegations, although he has denied all of the allegations made by Cardello-Smith.

As the case progresses, all eyes will be on whether the statute of limitations will play a key role in the dismissal or if the lawsuit will continue to be pursued. Diddy's legal team seems confident that the case will not hold up in court, but for now, it is not over.

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