<p id=”par-1_69″><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/hip-hop/?swcfpc=1″>Hip-hop</a> mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs heads to <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/sean-diddy-combs-trial-date-likely-pushed-may-2025.html/”>trial in May 2025</a> on charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. In addition to the federal charges against him, Combs faces a <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/who-filed-the-first-civil-lawsuit-against-sean-diddy-combs.html/”>slew of civil suits</a>. Prisoner Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith sued Combs for allegedly assaulting him in 1997. And he <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/jennifer-lopez-called-witness-male-prisoners-lawsuit-diddy-source-says.html/”>planned to call Jennifer Lopez</a> in to testify. However, a judge just threw out the case. </p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-a-judge-threw-out-derrick-lee-cardello-smith-s-lawsuit-against-sean-diddy-combs-due-to-the-statute-of-limitations”>A judge threw out Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith’s lawsuit against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs due to the statute of limitations</h2>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-1″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Filmmaker-Sean-DiddY-Combs.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs attends the 2022 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena while wearing a white suit and dark sunglasses.” class=”wp-image-3764387″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards | Mindy Small/FilmMagic</figcaption></figure>
<div class=”related-article related-article–simple”>
<span class=”related-article-flag”>Related</span>
<p class=”related-article__title”>
<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/o-j-simpsons-lawyer-speaks-diddys-odds-court-chance.html/”>
O.J. Simpson’s Lawyer Speaks on Diddy’s Odds in Court: ‘There’s Always a Chance’ </a>
</p>
</div>
<p id=”par-2_56″>According to Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith’s lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs, Combs sexually assaulted Cardello-Smith at a Holiday Inn in 1997. Cardello-Smith allegedly planned to have Jennifer Lopez testify in the case. Lopez and Combs dated from 1999 to 2001. Cardello-Smith thought the singer’s association with the rapper meant she might know something about the assault. </p>
<p id=”par-3_19″>Cardello-Smith claimed he waited to sue Combs due to fears of retaliation. However, his tardiness worked against him. </p>
<p id=”par-4_25″>“[Cardello-Smith] filed this lawsuit in 2024, which is long after the applicable statute of limitations expired,” the order read, according to <a href=”https://www.intouchweekly.com/posts/diddy-victorious-against-male-sexual-assault-accuser-in-400m-lawsuit/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>In Touch Weekly</a>. </p>
<p id=”par-5_76″>“Accordingly, [Cardello-Smith’s] claim is barred by the applicable Michigan statute of limitations and must be dismissed with prejudice,” the judge noted. “The court cautions [Cardello-Smith] to refrain from duplicative, frivolous, or harassing filings, including the filing of additional lawsuits related to the allegations in this case or the filing of unnecessary papers on the dockets of cases that have been dismissed. Failure to heed this warning will result in significant pre-filing restrictions being placed on [Cardello-Smith].”</p>
<p id=”par-6_12″>Combs also demanded monetary sanctions from Cardello-Smith, which the judge denied. </p>
<p id=”par-7_9″>Combs’ attorneys slammed Cardello-Smith’s “frequent filings” and “meritless attacks.”</p>
<p id=”par-8_38″>“This is not [Cardello-Smith’s] first attempt at a shakedown — and unless this Court intervenes, it will not be his last,” the attorneys stated. “[Cardello-Smith] has a lengthy history of filing frivolous lawsuits in this District and beyond.”</p>
<p id=”par-9_13″><em>For more on the entertainment world and exclusive interviews, follow </em><a href=”https://www.instagram.com/showbizcheatsheet/”><em>Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s Instagram</em></a>.</p>