LOS ANGELES — Grammy-winning rapper Cardi B has been cleared of assault allegations in a high-profile $24 million civil lawsuit brought against her in California.
A Los Angeles jury on Tuesday dismissed claims by plaintiff Emani Ellis, who accused the rapper of slashing her face with fingernails, spitting at her, and using racial slurs during an altercation outside a Beverly Hills medical office in 2018.
Ellis, who is Black, alleged that Cardi B, also Black, attacked her while she was on her way to a doctor’s appointment. However, Cardi B, whose real name is Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar, strongly denied ever touching Ellis, insisting that Ellis had aggressively confronted her with a phone camera while she was four months pregnant with her first child.
Her legal team argued that the then-expectant mother had been guarding her privacy, seeking to keep her pregnancy away from the glare of tabloids and critics. They said Ellis escalated the incident by hurling profanities before medical office staff stepped in to defuse the situation.
The trial, which captured public attention, saw Cardi B arriving in court last week in a series of striking wigs and engaging in fiery exchanges with lawyers—moments that quickly spread across social media.
Following the jury’s dismissal of the lawsuit, Cardi B expressed relief but warned against future frivolous claims.
“I swear to God, I will say it on my death bed, I did not touch that woman,” the 32-year-old rapper told reporters. “This time around I’m going to be nice, but the next person that tries to do a frivolous lawsuit against me, I’m going to counter-sue and I’m going to make you pay.”
The ruling marks a significant legal victory for the “Bodak Yellow” and “WAP” hitmaker, who has faced multiple legal battles in recent years while balancing her music career and personal life.
