Victory for Cardi B: Jury Clears Rapper in High-Profile Civil Assault Case

Cardi B has emerged victorious in a civil assault trial, avoiding any damages in a lawsuit brought by a former security guard.

A jury in Los Angeles delivered a swift not liable verdict for the "Bodak Yellow" rapper on Tuesday, September 2, after both sides presented their closing arguments, according to the Associated Press.

Emani Ellis, the security guard, accused Cardi — whose real name is Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar — of assault and battery, claiming the rapper physically attacked her and inflicted emotional distress during a confrontation at an obstetrician's office in 2018. Ellis alleged that Cardi cut her face with her nails, an injury so severe it required plastic surgery, and spat on her during the altercation.

Ellis recounted the "traumatizing" experience while on the stand. "She was like, 'F‑‑‑ you, you fata--, I'm gonna beat your a--. I'm gonna get you fired. That's why you do security,'" she said, detailing Cardi's aggressive behavior during their encounter. "She was sticking her tongue out, flailing her arms up and down."

In contrast, Cardi testified that while the confrontation escalated, there was no physical contact. "She couldn't get a scratch from me because I didn't touch her," Cardi asserted.

When asked by Ellis' attorney if she had felt anger, Cardi replied, "Yes I was angry! Because I'm pregnant! And this girl's about to beat my a--!" The rapper acknowledged the argument's intensity, revealing both women faced off "chest-to-chest," but maintained that it never became physical.

"She didn't touch me," Cardi B stated. "She was going to touch me, but she didn't get to touch me."

Maintaining a pregnancy at the time added complexity to Cardi's emotions during the exchange. "I was getting used to things. I was just so worried about what everybody was saying and thinking," she confided in court.

The rapper sought to keep her condition private, believing that Ellis recording her could expose her secret. "I told her, 'Why are you recording?'" Cardi testified, recalling Ellis' nearly apologetic response.

Ellis, who reported losing her job after the incident, sought damages for medical expenses, emotional and physical suffering, and lost wages, alongside punitive damages. Although the specific amount was not stated, Cardi mentioned from the stand that Ellis was "suing me for $24 million."

This wasn't the first time Cardi B was involved in an assault case.

In 2018, Cardi B was involved in a brawl at a strip club in Queens, N.Y. The incident allegedly stemmed from her belief that her husband, Offset, had an affair with one of the club's bartenders.

Initially, Cardi B was charged with misdemeanor assault and reckless endangerment. However, after she rejected a plea deal in 2019, a grand jury indicted her on 14 charges, including two felony counts of attempted assault.

For several years, the case progressed, with Cardi pleading not guilty and facing the possibility of jail time. In September 2022, she ultimately pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges of assault and reckless endangerment, while the other 10 charges were dismissed.

As a result of the plea deal, she was ordered to complete 15 days of community service and was given a three-year order of protection from the two women involved in the fight.