The lawsuits stemming from Kanye West’s Donda Academy continue to lay at his feet. According to a new report from AllHipHop, things could wind up getting worse for the rapper, as a default judgment is seriously on the table. In particular, this relates to the more recent suit filed by Isaiah Meadows. The former assistant principal at the Academy has been seeking a default one anyway, but this seems like more a possibility. That’s all thanks to Kanye West severely struggling to find a lawyer to represent him in court.
Judge Christopher Lui, who’s presiding over this case, stated in a hearing yesterday, “This can’t continue forever. If a substitute counsel is going to come in, it has to be done quickly.” This came after Manoj Shah, Ye’s attorney, said, “We are trying in vain to retain counsel. We are interviewing several firms. For one reason or another, it has failed to work out. Our goal is to have counsel and participate in the defense.”
February 20, 2011; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Kanye West performs during the half time show at the 2011 NBA All Star game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro via USA TODAY NETWORK
Rumblings within this ongoing court battle are that Kanye continues to fire or not pay the people attempting to make his case. If the VULTURES MC cannot settle on one, then Judge Lui says he will enter default judgment. Ron Zambrano, who’s been fighting for other former Donda Academy employees as well as Meadows, feels that he knows what the final result will be. “It’s an odd situation. This is the first time we’ve heard there’s an attorney representing [West’s] interests,” Zambrano told Courthouse News.
“Whoever the next attorney is, there’s a long history of people not getting paid by Kanye West, which is part of the problem. But we’re gonna move forward. He’s going to have to pay attention to this case somehow.” However, his critique didn’t stop there as Zambrano made a quip as to why it’s difficult for Ye to secure a lawyer. “I just think that sometimes he has the attention span of a goldfish.” As it stands, there’s no concrete timetable for how much longer he has, but it sounds like patience is running thin.
Chris Brown is caught up in another legal conflict. The pop star has been called out by a former assault accuser over an incident dating back to February 2023. The accuser, Abe Diaw, alleges that Chris Brown smashed a bottle of liquor over his head during a confrontation at a nightclub. Diaw filed a lawsuit due to the injuries he suffered, but allegedly heard nothing in return. The Blast reports that Diaw is now seeking a $16 million default judgement. This is due to the fact that Breezy has allegedly ignored the lawsuit. The accuser goes as far as to claim he served the singer at his residence twice, in February and April.
Abe Diaw’s motion lays out the specifics of the Chris Brown situation as he sees it. “[Brown] has failed to file any response,” the document reads. “To the complaint or the first amended complaint, exceeding the statutory time limit for doing so.” He goes on to accuse Brown of being “non-compliant,” and cites the number of days since he was allegedly served. “As of October 1, 2024,” he adds. “It has been 141 days since the defendant was served with the first amended complaint.”
Abe Diaw claims to have suffered a number of serious injuries from Chris Brown’s alleged attack. In the court documents, he claims that he was knocked unconscious by the broken bottle. He also claims that the singer stomped on his body following the initial strike. Diaw went on cite doctor’s reports regarding his physical condition. In particular, the torn ligaments and head injuries he allegedly suffered as a result. The lawsuit was initially filed in October 2023. As of October 2024, however, the accuser is seeking $16 million in damages for “injuries and losses suffered.”
Chris Brown’s public image is not squeaky clean at the moment. While the singer has a laundry list of allegations and lawsuits scattered over the last decade, the impending release of a documentary has really shined a light on his complicated personal life. The doc is titled Chris Brown: A History of Violence. It will premiere on the ID channel on October 27. It will also include interviews with several of the people who have accused Brown of crimes over the years.
Things couldn’t be going any worse for Diddy, especially now that a Michigan man who is currently incarcerated, Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith, secured a $100M judgment against the music mogul, as first reported by the Detroit Metro-Times. Cardello-Smith accused Combs of drugging and sexually assaulting him at a party in Detroit back in 1997. The judgment came after Combs failed to appear at a court hearing. This ultimately led the judge to hand down a default ruling in favor of Cardello-Smith. Unfortunately for Diddy, this is the tip of the iceberg regarding his legal issues. Over the past few months, lawsuits have piled on as he faces allegations of sexual assault.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 24: (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Sean “Diddy” Combs performs onstage during the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival at T-Mobile Arena on September 24, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartRadio)
Cardello-Smith, now 51, claims he crossed paths with Combs in the late 1990s while working in Detroit’s hospitality industry. According to Cardello-Smith’s claims, Combs drugged and assaulted him at a party around this time. Despite the incident happening over two decades ago, Cardello-Smith took legal action in 2024. Representing himself in court, Cardello-Smith, who is serving a 75-year-sentence for criminal sexual conduct and kidnapping, per USA Today, has a history of filing civil lawsuits, gaining notoriety as a self-taught student of law while serving time in the Michigan prison system.
The case gained momentum when Lenawee County Circuit Court Judge Anna Marie Anzalone granted Cardello-Smith a temporary restraining order against Combs in August. Judge Anzalone issued this order to prevent Combs from liquidating his assets before the court could rule on potential damages.
Combs’ Alleged Attempts To Settle
Diddy has been hit with a massive $100 million default judgment after failing to respond to a sexual assault lawsuit filed by prison inmate Cardello Smith.
Inmate Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith claims Diddy drugged and assaulted him at a Detroit party back in 1997. Cardello-Smith… pic.twitter.com/QwSe41sYbp
According to court documents, Combs allegedly tried to settle the case out of court. He reportedly offered Cardello-Smith $2.3 million to drop the lawsuit. Cardello-Smith also provided the courts with prison facility information, including alleged proof of Diddy’s name logged into the visitation records. However, Cardello-Smith rejected the offer and indicated that he wanted to proceed with the case. In a virtual court hearing, Cardello-Smith recounted a conversation with Combs where the music producer reportedly said, “You know how we get down.” Cardello-Smith told the judge that he responded to Diddy, saying, “I disagree with how you get down.”
On September 9th, 2024, the court awarded Cardello-Smith a default judgment of $100M after Combs failed to appear for the virtual hearing. The court grants a default judgment when a defendant does not respond or fails to attend a legally required court proceeding. This could potentially be one of the largest judgments ever awarded to an inmate or a self-represented litigant in history.
Diddy’s Lawyer Responds
Keith Ranieres lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, speaks to the press as he arrives at Brooklyn Federal Court on May 7, 2019, in New York. – The trial of Keith Raniere, a “self-help” guru who ran a secretive society of women sex slaves branded with his initials, begins Tuesday in New York, where his former female supporters may be called to testify against him. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
Regardless of the judgment, it appears that Diddy and his legal team are ready to file an appeal. In a statement provided to the media, Diddy’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, strongly denied the allegations. “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,” the statement reads. “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.”
A Growing List Of Legal Troubles For Diddy
Cardello-Smith’s lawsuit is just one in a series of legal issues facing Sean Combs in 2024. Over the past year, Combs has become the target of multiple lawsuits, many involving allegations of sexual assault or violence. These accusations have increasingly tarnished his once untouchable image as a music mogul, and the $100 million judgment only adds to the growing list of legal challenges he faces. Earlier this year, a video leaked of Diddy assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Cassie, after the two reached a settlement in her lawsuit against him, where she accused him of physical and sexual abuse. Another bombshell lawsuit filed by producer Lil Rod similarly accused Diddy of abuse while claiming that the mogul did not pay him for the work on The Love Album. Furthermore, there have been rumors that Diddy could be subject to a federal investigation.
Former security guard Thomas Weidenmüller accuses Nicki Minaj and her husband Kenneth Petty of assaulting him backstage at a concert in 2019, and now, he’s in for a huge payday. According to the alleged victim, the incident took place in Germany after a fan breached security and got onstage where Nicki was performing. Weidenmüller says that after the show, he was confronted by both Nicki and Petty, and the run-in left him in need of multiple surgeries.
He alleged that after Nicki “screamed obscenities” and threw at him, Petty behind him and hit him in the face. “Petty repositioned himself out of my eyesight and without warning struck me in the face,” his lawsuit reads. “Which stunned and disoriented me. Because of the surprise nature of the attack, I am not sure as to whether Petty hit me with his fist or with a weapon.” Weidenmüller claims the blow broke his jaw. He went on to sue the pair in 2022 for his medical expenses, emotional distress, and more.
Nicki and Petty ignored the suit, and sought a default judgment of $750K. At the time, the judge shot him down, but he was later allowed to seek a new judgment. Now, the couple must pay up, $500K to be exact, as they failed to address the lawsuit once again. “The pain I felt in the moment was far more extreme than any pain I had ever experienced in my life, or have felt since that day,” Weidenmüller says of the attack in his suit. “I felt a blinding pain in my head, neck, and face.”
What do you think of Nicki Minaj and her husband Kenneth Petty owing $500K for ignoring a security guard’s lawsuit? Are you surprised? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
When 6ix9ine failed to show up in court for an assault lawsuit, he didn’t consider that a default judgement would end up ridding him of his valuables. However, that’s exactly what court documents reportedly obtained by TMZ indicate, as the court appointed a receiver to handle his assets. These include a Rolls-Royce, a mansion in Florida, and many other pricey items that might be sold off or auctioned to pay for the $9.825 judgement by any means necessary. In fact, it seems like this is a pretty limitless proposition, as the docs claim that the receiver can “break any locks necessary to gain access to any real property.”
For those unaware, the rapper– who said he will drop a new album soon– received this lawsuit over two years ago. He accidentally hit Alexis Salaberrios, a dancer for Gold Rush Cabaret in Miami, in the head with a champagne bottle that he threw at a person who called him a rat. After going to the ER and getting stitches, she filed legal action against him and won the judgement back in July. Since 6ix9ine never paid for it, now Salaberrios has clearance to seize these assets despite his legal team initially dismissing this suit.
MIAMI, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 17: Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine performs during the MiamiBash 2021 at FTX Arena on December 17, 2021 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, the New York native is also dealing with some other legal trouble right now– but it’s got less to do with him than it does with his partner. Yailín La Más Viral recently faced an arrest and felony assault charges after threatening him with a knife and hitting him with a two-by-four. The two have had nothing if not a turbulent and chaotic relationship in the public eye, so this is a little less surprising than most. Still, considering past issues that the couple went through, it’s a tad disheartening to see Yailín fall into tropes that 6ix9ine is the most notorious for out of the two.
Regardless, do you think that this is going to hurt his pockets deeply as he lingers in the Dominican Republic? Is this the beginning of the end? However you may feel, let us know in the comments section down below. For more news and the latest updates on 6ix9ine, stick around on HNHH.
In the legal sense, Cam’ron has his sights on The Joe Budden Podcast for insinuating he had relations with underage girls. However, it seems like before he actually decides whether he wants to move forward, he has to deal with another issue in court. Moreover, the rapper faces a default judgement in a pretty curious and confusing lawsuit, which means that he’ll now have to pay up. For those unaware, this legal action came from photographer Djamilla Cochran in April of this year. She was the one who took the iconic 2003 picture of him in a pink fur coat, hat, and with a matching pink flip phone.
Earlier in 2023, she sued Cam’ron for using this picture on his clothing brand’s merch without getting the proper copyright and licensing. Allegedly, he and Dipset Couture ignored multiple infringement warnings, and never responded to the lawsuit outright. Now, Cochran seeks $57,000 as part of her awarded default judgement, plus $10,000 in legal fees. Not only that but she wants to audit Killa Cam’s brand for all the merch with this picture that he’s sold so she can access these profits.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 16: Cam’ron attends “For Khadija” Tribeca Festival After Party at Lavo on June 16, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage/Getty Images)
Elsewhere, he is also quite busy with his It Is What It Is sports talk show with Mase, which has been nothing short of a massive success. Whether it’s their antics as cohosts, how the show’s affected their bonds with other athletes, or their often blunt analysis, there’s a lot to find entertainment in with this series. Hopefully Cam’ron and Mase continue to build out their platform and give us more great content along the way. Sometimes that will lead to people speaking on you– and to you wanting to sue them– but such is the media game.
Meanwhile, the Dipset MC is still dropping hot freestyles, one of which even got LeBron James’ stamp of staunch approval recently. It’s just another piece of proof that you can never count an MC out, no matter what their career morphs into. We’ll see if he has anything to say about this lawsuit’s end. For more news and the latest updates on Cam’ron, stay up to date on HNHH.
Nicki Minaj just found herself (and her husband) in more hot legal water, although this time she might be too late to rectify it. Moreover, the rapper faces a default judgement in a $753K lawsuit over an alleged assault that took place during her Frankfurt, Germany tour stop back in 2019. According to a RadarOnline report from Friday (April 28), security guard Thomas Weidenmuller, who first sued the couple back in 2022, motioned for the court to give Minaj a default judgement. Furthermore, it seems like they failed to answer to the lawsuit in time. While the “Super Freaky Girl” MC faces said judgement, Weidenmuller still hasn’t been able to obtain it against Kenneth Petty. Perhaps the 40-year-old will not have to pay the lawsuit’s full amount as a result, but that’s still unclear.
As his story goes, the security guard had a heated discussion prompted by the couple after a fan got past security barricades and on stage with Nicki Minaj. Even though security quickly resolved the issue in 15 seconds, the couple allegedly confronted Weidenmuller and his colleagues after the show. Reportedly, the Trinidadian-born artist called a female security guard on Weidenmuller’s team a “f***ing b***h” and trashed her live on social media. That’s when the security guard escorted his coworker away from the showdown. When he went to Minaj’s dressing room to keep discussing the issue, Kenneth Petty allegedly punched him in the face.
Nicki Minaj Faces Default Judgement Over Kenneth Petty’s Alleged Assault
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 12: Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty attend the Marc Jacobs Fall 2020 runway show during New York Fashion Week on February 12, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Marc Jacobs)
In addition, his claims include the suggestion that Nicki Minaj told her husband to attack him. As such, his lawsuit is on accusations of “battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligence,” according to court documents from the RadarOnline report. Unfortunately, this is far from the first time the couple faced court action together. The court ordered Petty to settle a lawsuit from his sexual assault accuser after he and Minaj allegedly harassed her to drop her charges.
However, the accuser dropped charges against Nicki, even though she claimed she tried to intimidate her. Moreover, Judge James R. Cho took the case to mediation back in December of 2022 and stated there would be trial if no agreement was reached. How this affected, or will affect, her musical career and public image is still a developing story. On that note, come back to HNHH for the latest news on Kenneth Petty and his wife Nicki Minaj.
Nicki Minaj is asking the court for a default judgement after a blogger she sued for false reports ignored her filing. Moreover, Marley Green, better known as Nosey Heaux, accused Nicki of being a cokehead and made some disparaging comments about her son. While everything set itself in place for the court proceedings, the only missing thing is Green’s response. Furthermore, since she’s failed to address the lawsuit, the New York-raised MC wants the case resolved without her input. Overall, this could mean that the superstar rapper might get close to her requested damages of $75,000.
According to court documents obtained by AllHipHop, Minaj’s lawyer Judd Burstein made such requests on Thursday (February 23). Additionally, he asked the Clerk of the Court to issue a certificate of default in the case. “Defendants have not answered or otherwise moved with respect to the complaint and the time for them to do so has expired,” they stated. When Nicki sued Green in September of 2022, attorney Bobby Samini agreed to represent and accept service for Green the following October. However, even though Burstein sent Green and her team a summons and complaint via email that month, they had to extend the December deadline for response to January 16 of this year.
Nicki Minaj Seeks Default Judgement
Nicki Minaj presents the Artist of the Year award on stage at the MTV Video Music Awards 2022 held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Picture date: Sunday August 28, 2022. (Photo by Doug Peters/PA Images via Getty Images)
Still, it was all crickets on Green’s end. “The Defendants herein have outrageously defamed [Nicki Minaj] by posting a video on their Twitter page in which Defendant Marley Green, who goes by the name of ‘Nosey Heaux,’ falsely and maliciously stated that [Nicki Minaj] is a ‘cokehead’ who is ‘shoving all this cocaine up her nose,’” Nicki’s lawyer wrote in the original lawsuit. “Further evidencing a fundamental lack of decency, Green has also posted vile comments about [Nicki Minaj’s] one year-old son. While these comments are not actionable, they nonetheless demonstrate why punitive damages should be awarded in this case.”
Also, Burstein maintained that his client never used cocaine. In addition, he insisted that Green acted with “actual malice” because she “knew that there was a high probability that it was false.” Meanwhile, at least the “Anaconda” artist has more bright things to look forward to this year. Recently, she announced an upcoming single which should have Barbs all over feeling absolutely ecstatic. Regardless, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from Nicki Minaj.
