A federal judge in Michigan has thrown out a sexual assault lawsuit filed against Sean "Diddy" Combs by prisoner Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith.

The dismissal, issued Wednesday, January 22, came after the judge ruled the claims were barred by Michigan's statute of limitations, according to court documents obtained by In Touch.

Cardello-Smith had alleged a 1997 assault at a Holiday Inn, but state law required filing within three years of the incident.

"[Derrick] filed this lawsuit in 2024, which is long after the applicable statute of limitations expired," the judge stated in the order. The case was dismissed "with prejudice," preventing Cardello-Smith from refiling these claims against Diddy in the future.

While the court denied Diddy's request for sanctions and monetary penalties against Cardello-Smith, the judge issued a stern warning about future filings: "The court cautions [Derrick] to refrain from duplicative, frivolous, or harassing filings... Failure to heed this warning will result in significant pre-filing restrictions."

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The dismissal comes after Cardello-Smith had announced plans to call Jennifer Lopez, Diddy's former girlfriend, as a witness. Diddy's legal team had previously criticized Cardello-Smith's credibility, noting inconsistencies in his various legal filings and highlighting his criminal record.

Diddy, 55, is currently facing separate federal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, has consistently denied all allegations of wrongdoing in this case through his legal representatives.

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