Cardi B ALHAMBRA, CA - SEPTEMBER 02: Cardi B is seen at court on September 02, 2025 in Alhambra, California. (Photo by PG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images) (PG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
By Cox Media Group National Content Desk
LOS ANGELES — A jury has cleared rapper Cardi B of the assault of a security guard in California that allegedly occurred seven years ago.
Emani Ellis had sued Cardi B, whose real name is Belcalis Almanzar, for $24 million in civil court, claiming the entertainer cut her face with her fingernail and spat on her, The New York Times reported.
The alleged incident happened in 2018 when Cardi B was at a Beverly Hills obstetrician and was about four months pregnant with her first child. As she left an elevator, she said she saw Ellis recording a video of her and telling a person on the phone that she had seen the rapper.
The two women then got into an argument.
Cardi B said she and Ellis got into a verbal fight and had been “chest to chest,” but said she did not assault the guard.
Ellis said that Cardi B cut her face so badly that it required plastic surgery. She also lost her job over the incident, ABC News reported.
The doctor with whom Cardi B had her appointment told the court that he tried to de-escalate the fight and told Ellis to “stop” and “do your job.” The receptionist testified she did not see a fight between the pair.
It took the jury less than an hour to come up with the verdict, NBC News reported.
Photos: Cardi B through the years Here are some memorable photos of rapper Cardi B through the years. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
Photos: Cardi B through the years 2015: Cardi B walks the runway for Gypsy Sport at Milk Studios on September 15, 2015, in New York City. (Arun Nevader/Getty Images)
Photos: Cardi B through the years 2016: Hennessy and Cardi B attend the 2016 VH1's Divas Holiday: Unsilent Night at Kings Theatre on December 2, 2016, in New York City. (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
Photos: Cardi B through the years 2017: Cardi B at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017, in Los Angeles. (Maury Phillips/Getty Images)
Photos: Cardi B through the years 2017: Cardi B attends the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 27, 2017, in Inglewood, California. (Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
Photos: Cardi B through the years 2018: Recording artist Cardi B attends the 60th annual Grammy Awards at Madison Square Garden on January 28, 2018, in New York City. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
Photos: Cardi B through the years 2018: Cardi B attends the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018, in New York City. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
Photos: Cardi B through the years 2019: Cardi B attends The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2019, in New York City. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
Photos: Cardi B through the years 2019: Offset (left) and Cardi B attend Rihanna's fifth annual Diamond Ball Benefitting the Clara Lionel Foundation at Cipriani Wall Street on September 12, 2019, in New York City. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Diamond Ball)
Photos: Cardi B through the years 2020: Cardi B attends Universal Pictures Presents the Road to F9 Concert and Trailer Drop on January 31, 2020, in Miami. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Universal Pictures)
Photos: Cardi B through the years 2020: Cardi B, Offset and Kulture Kiari Cephus attend the Teyana Taylor "The Album" Listening Party on June 17, 2020, in Beverly Hills, California. (Rich Fury/Getty Images for Def Jam Recordings)
Photos: Cardi B through the years 2021: Cardi B performs onstage during the 63rd annual Grammy Awards at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California, and broadcast on March 14, 2021. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Photos: Cardi B through the years 2021: Cardi B poses on the runway during the Balenciaga Womenswear Spring/Summer 2022 show as part of Paris Fashion Week at Theatre Du Chatelet on October 2, 2021, in Paris. (Richard Bord/Getty Images)