Diddy has filed an emergency motion to overturn the $100 million default judgment he was hit with for not responding to a sexual assault lawsuit from a Michigan inmate known for frequently filing civil suits.
According to legal documents obtained by TMZ on Thursday (September 12), the embattled music mogul said he was never served with the suit and that he not only had no idea who 51-year-old Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith is, he had no idea about the suit until he was hit with the default judgment earlier this week.
His legal team also noted: “This man 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.”
They also said that even if Cardello-Smith’s claims were true, the statute of limitations expired in 2007.
In addition to asking to vacate the judgment, Diddy’s legal team is asking to dissolve a temporary restraining order and/or preliminary injunction, which had been granted to Cardello-Smith in August.
In his initial filing, Cardello-Smith claimed Diddy drugged and sexually assaulted him at a party he was working at in Detroit in 1997. He then filed a restraining order against Diddy in August to prevent him from selling assets that could be used to pay for the lawsuit.
Cardello-Smith also shared a log of his visitation record which included Diddy’s name and alleged he was offered $2.3 million dollars to dismiss the lawsuit but rejected it.
In other Diddy news, he’s officially looking to offload his Beverly Hills mansion for an eye-watering sum — the same spot that was raided by federal agents earlier this year.
According to Page Six, Puff has listed the lavish property for $61 million following reports that he was preparing to sell it.
The 13,000-square foot property is located in the swanky “Platinum Triangle” of Los Angeles which encompasses the adjacent neighborhoods of Beverly Hills, Holmby Hills and Bel-Air.
According to a property description, the fully remodeled home boasts “a luxurious paneled entry foyer with a sweeping staircase bathed in natural light, along with a large living room, formal dining room, wine cellar, office, and a gourmet kitchen with a family room and separate catering kitchen.”
The future buyer will also enjoy “a state-of-the-art theater that seats 35 guests,” as well as “a two-story guest house [with] a large gym, recording studio and additional guest bedrooms.”
He purchased the property 10 years ago for $40 million.
