Reporter: William Henderson
On September 2, 2025, rapper Cardi B was found not liable in a civil assault trial at the Alhambra Courthouse after being sued by a security guard for $24M.
In February 2018 during a private OB-GYN visit, Emani Ellis, the security guard, allegedly appeared to be filming Cardi B on her phone. Ellis claimed in court that as a result, Cardi B was “sticking her tongue out, flailing her arms up and down.. jumping up and down,” and more, including calling her racial slurs and spitting on her. Most notable was the accusation that Cardi B scratched Ellis’s face open with her fingernail, requiring both plastic surgery and a change in career due to the trauma.
The jury took only an hour to reach a final unanimous verdict, finding Cardi B not liable on all counts, as Ellis failed to prove her allegations. After the ruling, Cardi B stood in front of the Alhambra courthouse and told local reporters: “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.”
Cardi B also said the following in regards to the security guard: “I do want fans at home though not to find their social media… don’t go call her no nasty names, let’s just put this behind… I did not lay my hands on that girl. With that being said, this time around I’m gonna be nice – the next person to try to do a frivolous lawsuit against me I’m going to countersue; and I’m gonna make you pay.”
