Cardi B Wins Big in Court After High-Stakes Assault Case

2 September 2025

Cardi B / DUTCH/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

The courtroom was electric on September 2. Cardi B, the chart-topping rapper known for her unfiltered authenticity, walked away unscathed from a $24 million civil trial that had gripped fans and critics alike. The verdict landed with clarity: she was found not liable in a lawsuit accusing her of assaulting a security guard during a private doctor’s office visit back in 2018. Clinics, courts, and headlines alike reset with a unanimous decision delivered in under an hour, by a jury that included six men and six women.

The lawsuit stemmed from a heated incident at a Beverly Hills OB/GYN clinic, where Cardi B then trying to keep her pregnancy private felt increasingly exposed. According to her testimony, she confronted the security guard, Emani Ellis, after suspecting surveillance. Ellis had accused Cardi B of scratching her face, spitting on her, and uttering racial slurs. The rapper emphatically contested the claims, acknowledging a tense verbal confrontation but maintaining there was never any physical contact.

The tension in the courtroom made for compelling watching. The trial played out over two days of livestreamed testimony, where Cardi B’s fierce delivery, bold statements, and even impromptu comedic moments including her description of pregnancy as disabling and the wigs she sported went viral. A receptionist present that day provided crucial support for Cardi’s account, reinforcing that she saw no physical altercation. Meanwhile, Cardi’s attorney described the lawsuit as frivolous and promised to counter-sue.

Stepping out of court, Cardi drew a line: she wouldn’t tolerate weak attempts to tarnish her reputation. “I did not touch that girl,” she declared sworn allegiance even unto her final breath. Then, with characteristic poise, she asked fans to refrain from harassing Ellis online, reminding everyone that emotional fallout cuts both ways.

The verdict is unlikely to be the final chapter. Ellis’s attorney announced plans to appeal, insisting her client’s pain and lost career path cannot be brushed aside. For Cardi B, though, this marks a moment of vindication. It’s proof that even stardom doesn’t overshadow right and wrong.