Cash Out has been ordered to pay $40 million to one of the victims he trafficked for sex.
According to court documents reviewed by Complex, the victim, identified in the documents as J.M., was awarded $10,000,000 in compensatory damages and an additional $30,000,000 in punitive damages on Jan. 7.
J.M. filed a civil suit against Cash Out in federal court in Georgia back in 2022, accusing the rapper of violating the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act. She claimed that she met him in 2013, and that he quickly forced her to work as a prostitute, threatening and beating her if she refused to perform. He also, J.M. claimed, forced her to take drugs.
J.M. won a default judgment against Cash Out in late December for $40 million, and the judgment was signed by the case's judge and entered into the record last week.
This comes months after the 35-year-old Atlanta rapper (whose real name is John-Michael Hakim Gibson) was convicted in July for leading a sex trafficking enterprise. The case also resulted in convictions of his mother, Linda Smith, and his cousin Tyrone Taylor.
After seven weeks of testimony on a 46-count Georgia RICO indictment that included jail calls, cellphone records, and surveillance footage, jurors convicted Gibson of rape and forcing women into prostitution, Smith of allowing property in her name to be used for prostitution, and Taylor of raping a woman and forcing her into sex work.
Gibson and Taylor were sentenced to life in prison plus 70 years and Smith to 30 years. Gibson maintained his innocence throughout the trial.
In a statement shared with Complex from J.M.'s attorney Matthew Stoddard, he said, “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.
"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."
He added, "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."
Stoddard also commented about his plans on collecting the enormous payout his client won — including possible plans to take aim at Cash Out's music income.
“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,” he said.