Lawyers for Sean "Diddy" Combs say Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith, an incarcerated man suing the disgraced hip-hop mogul over an alleged sexual assault, "forged" evidence in the case.
Newsweek reached out to Combs' representative via email for comment.
Why It Matters
Cardello-Smith, 51, is suing Combs, 55, over an alleged 1997 assault he said happened at a party at a Holiday Inn in Detroit where Cardello-Smith was a bartender.
Cardello-Smith, who was convicted of criminal sexual conduct and kidnapping in Michigan, claims Combs and his team are collaborating with state court officials to manipulate his legal filings. He submitted a document he claimed was a note from a court clerk instructing staff to delay filing one of his motions.
Combs is in jail in Brooklyn, awaiting the May trial of his sex trafficking case. He is also the subject of over 25 civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct, with some spanning back to the late 90s.
What To Know
Combs and his legal team deny Cardello-Smith's recent claims.
In a January 2 legal response, they wrote, "Once again, [Cardello-Smith] seeks to persuade this Court that he is the subject of an ever-growing conspiracy to frame him and cover up an alleged assault. Now, the conspiracy includes clerks of the Lenawee County Circuit Court, who, Plaintiff alleges, conspired with the undersigned counsel to delay the filing of Plaintiff's Motion for Reconsideration."
They continued, "Like virtually all of Plaintiff's filings, this Motion is based on an obvious fabrication — a forged 'note' supposedly written by the Lenawee County Circuit Court clerk."
Combs' team also asked the judge to sanction Cardello-Smith and deny his request for an emergency hearing.
Cardello-Smith previously revealed his plans to call Combs' ex-girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez, as a witness in the case. He mentioned the "Jenny from the Block" singer in legal docs, stating his intention to have her testify. Lopez and Combs dated from 1999 to 2001.
What People Are Saying
Lawyers for Sean "Diddy" Combs in a statement to Newsweek about the upcoming Peacock documentary about him: "These documentaries include unchecked claims and provide platforms for baseless conspiracy theories without accountability or evidence."
"In the case of the Peacock documentary in particular, the motivations and credibility of those being interviewed must be questioned. Many claim to have knowledge but lack any connection to the truth, while their wild, unfounded theories are cut and sensationalized to appear factual."
What Happens Next
The Peacock documentary Diddy: Making of a Bad Boy hits the streaming service on January 14. The 90-minute tell-all includes interviews with Combs' former bodyguard, intern, makeup artist and producer.
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