Source: Bloomberg Law

Tyrone Anthony Blackburn, a Brooklyn attorney representing plaintiff Liza Gardner in allegations that she was raped in 1990 by Sean “Diddy” Combs and Aaron Hall when she was 16, faces potential contempt for failing to pay a $6,000 sanction tied to his reliance on an AI-generated, non-existent citation. Blackburn missed the first two $500 installment payments due in March and April and did not notify the court of his inability to meet those deadlines; the court learned of the nonpayment through its own inquiry at an April 13 status conference before Judge Leo M. Gordon, who is sitting by designation in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

The sanctions were imposed in December after Blackburn relied on a fabricated case, United States v. Masha, to oppose dismissing Universal Music Group; Blackburn had argued UMG was complicit under the Mann Act by failing to prevent known risks, an allegation the judge addressed when dismissing UMG from the suit in January. Blackburn told the judge in an April conference call and in a May email that he cannot afford the $500 monthly payments, and at a May 11 hearing he must explain why he should not be held in contempt and must produce financial records to show whether he can pay; the judge said he “remains concerned about Mr. Blackburn’s inability to comply with court directives, meet deadlines, and communicate effectively.” Sher Tremonte LLP represents Combs, and the case is Gardner v. Combs, D.N.J., No. 2:24-cv-07729.