50 Cent claims that he doesn’t have a dime— filing for bankruptcy the same day he was supposed to appear in Manhattan court over money damages in a sex-tape lawsuit.
The Queens-born “Poor Lil Rich’’ rapper, who is worth an estimated $155 million, was supposed to take the stand Monday to cough up details about his finances as jurors weigh how much he should have to pay plaintiff Lestonia Leviston in punitive damages.
Leviston already scored $5 million from the Grammy winner Friday for the emotional distress she suffered after Fitty posted an online sex tape of her and a former boyfriend.
The mega-star personally contributed to the 13-minute video by playing the part of its wig-wearing narrator, a character he called “Pimpin’ Curley.’’
The 36-year-old Florida woman — who has a child with 50 Cent’s arch-rival, Rick Ross — testified that the viral posting drove her to the brink of suicide.
The rapper filed for Chapter 11 personal bankruptcy in federal court in Connecticut about 10 minutes before he was supposed to appear before a Manhattan judge with a net-worth statement and his federal and state tax returns in hand.
Fitty, who owns a 52-room mansion in Farmington, claims to currently have $10 million to $50 million in assets — and exactly that much debt.
But Leviston’s lawyers called the filing just another attempt to put off paying their client. They’ve asked for an additional $10 million to punish the rapper over the tape.
As of just two months ago, Fitty’s net worth was $155 million, thanks to savvy investments in such things as Vitamin Water, according to Forbes. And the New York Times called him a “Renaissance Man” with “exceptional business instincts.”
Yet he also filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy for his business dealings in May minutes before Leviston’s civil trial was set to start.
That alleged stalling tactic didn’t work — the bankruptcy judge ruled that Leviston’s case could still proceed.
And Manhattan Judge Paul Wooten said the hip-hopper was testing his patience with yet another 11-hour filing Monday.
“I ordered that the defendant appear here today,’’ the irritated judge said, noting “the court’s frustration with continuously trying to get this case resolved in what it thinks is both a timely and fair manner.”
Leviston’s lawyers were more frank.
“We just think it’s another example of him trying to avoid his responsibility, and it’s very unfortunate that he would do something like this,” said lawyer Hunter Shkolnik.
A bankruptcy judge is expected to rule Thursday whether Fitty’s latest filing should delay the civil proceeding.
The rapper doesn’t seem to be losing any sleep over the legal wrangling.
Friday, he threw himself a 40th-birthday bash in Las Vegas — and planned to keep up the festivities Monday night in Los Angeles.
On Sunday, he tweeted, “I can’t remember a year that I had this much fun. Just good energy every were I go.”