Atlanta rapper Cash Out has been ordered to pay $40 million in a sex trafficking lawsuit brought against him by one of his victims.
The victim, referred to as J.M., was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $30 million in punitive damages on January 7.
This decision follows a civil suit filed by J.M. in a Georgia federal court back in 2022. In her lawsuit, J.M. accused the rapper of violating the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act. She alleged that after meeting him in 2013, she was coerced into prostitution under threats, physical abuse, and drug use forced upon her by Cash Out.
A default judgment against the rapper for $40 million was reached in late December, officially recorded last week following the judge’s approval.
This legal decision comes months after the 35-year-old Atlanta artist, whose real name is John-Michael Hakim Gibson, was criminally convicted in July for operating a sex trafficking ring.
His conviction also implicated his mother, Linda Smith, and his cousin, Tyrone Taylor. After seven weeks of testimony involving extensive evidence such as jail phone calls, cellphone data, and surveillance footage, the jury found Gibson guilty of rape and forcing women into prostitution.
Smith was convicted of allowing her property to be used for these activities, while Taylor was convicted of rape and coercing a woman into sex work.
All three received severe sentences — Gibson and Taylor were both sentenced to life imprisonment plus an additional 70 years, while Smith received a 30-year sentence. Throughout the trial, Gibson maintained his innocence.
In a statement provided by J.M.’s attorney, Matthew Stoddard, he highlighted the broader implications of the ruling.
“The court’s ruling underscores that sex trafficking carries serious legal consequences. It sends an important signal that exploiting vulnerable individuals is not only morally reprehensible but will be met with substantial accountability under the law.”
Stoddard further remarked on the judgment’s significance: “This judgment reflects a careful judicial recognition of the severity and long-term impact of sex trafficking. It demonstrates that presentation of evidence showcasing the harm and exploitation associated with sex trafficking will compel significant financial consequences regardless of whether a judge or jury is the decision maker.”
Regarding their plans to collect the awarded sum, Stoddard shared their intentions of pursuing Cash Out’s financial assets, including those related to his music career.
“Our firm’s fight will continue as we will now seek to collect substantial sums sitting in the Court’s registry as part of forfeiture proceedings associated with the criminal RICO prosecution of Mr. Gibson. We are also exploring the assignment of residual income streams from Mr. Gibson’s rap catalogue,” Stoddard stated.
