US rapper Cardi B has been cleared of allegations of assault and battery after a Los Angeles jury ruled in her favour on Monday.
Jury clears Cardi B in civil trial
The case was brought by security guard Emani Ellis, who accused Cardi B of cutting her cheek with a 7.5 cm fingernail and spitting on her during an argument outside a doctor’s office in 2018.
Ellis sued the Grammy-winning rapper for $24 million (about R448 million) in damages.
After only about an hour of deliberation, the jury rejected all claims of assault, battery, emotional distress, negligence, and false imprisonment.
What the case was about
The incident took place at an obstetrician’s office in 2018, when Cardi B was four months pregnant with her first child. Her pregnancy was not yet public at the time.
According to Cardi B, the office had closed early to protect her privacy. She testified that Ellis, working as a security guard in the building, followed her, spoke about her pregnancy on the phone, and filmed her on a mobile device.
Cardi said this invasion of privacy led to a heated shouting match, but she denied ever hitting or spitting on Ellis.
Ellis claimed the encounter left her traumatised and demanded millions in compensation. But witnesses, including the doctor and his receptionist, supported Cardi’s version.
The receptionist, Tierra Malcolm, even testified that Ellis was the aggressor, swinging her arms and accidentally cutting Malcolm’s head in the process.
Outside the court, Cardi B expressed relief and confidence in the jury’s decision.
“I work all day and I work hard for my money, for my kids, for the people that I take care of. So don’t you ever think that you’re going to sue me, and I’m just going to settle,” she told reporters.
She also urged her fans not to harass Ellis or her family, saying the case was now closed.
What’s next for Cardi B
With the trial behind her, Cardi B is shifting focus back to her music career. She is preparing to release her long-awaited second album, Am I The Drama?, on 19 September 2025.
The rapper has also confirmed plans for her first major tour since 2019.
“After all of this album rollout and album release, I go straight into tour prep. So there’s gonna be no time to waste,” she told fans during an Instagram Live.
