Cardi B Awarded $1.25 Million in Libel Lawsuit Against Blogger Tasha K

A federal jury awarded the rapper Cardi B around $4 million in a libel lawsuit against a celebrity gossip blogger who had posted videos in 2018 claiming that she was a prostitute who had contracted sexually transmitted infections and used cocaine.

Cardi B, whose real name is Belcalis Almanzar, had sued the celebrity gossiper, known as Tasha K, in 2019 for posting more than 20 videos that spread “malicious rumors” about the rapper, according to the lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, where Tasha K lives.

The jury found Tasha K, whose real name is Latasha Kebe, liable on two counts of slander and one count each of libel and invasion of privacy, according to a verdict filed on Monday.

The jury awarded Ms. Almanzar $1.25 million on Monday and an additional $2.8 million on Tuesday, according to separate verdicts filed on Monday and Tuesday. The award includes $25,000 for medical expenses and around $1.3 million to cover the rapper’s legal fees.

Ms. Kebe had also posted in 2018 that Ms. Almanzar had herpes outbreaks in her mouth and that she would give birth to a child with intellectual disabilities.

Ms. Almanzar, 29, testified in court this month that she “felt extremely suicidal” after Ms. Kebe posted the videos, adding that “only an evil person could do that,” Lisa Moore, a lawyer for Ms. Almanzar, said on Monday.

In the lawsuit, the rapper’s lawyers said that the content would damage her reputation with her fans and affect her business prospects. Cardi B, a Grammy-winning rapper from the Bronx, found fame in 2017 with her song “Bodak Yellow,” which immortalized her propensity for making “money moves.”

Ms. Kebe’s claims have helped her amass millions of views on Twitter, Instagram and her YouTube channel, unWinewithTashaK. Most of the content can still be viewed online, even though the rapper sent Ms. Kebe a cease-and-desist letter a few months after Ms. Kebe first posted about her in 2018, according to the lawsuit.

Ms. Almanzar’s lawyers said Ms. Kebe was “obsessed with slandering” the rapper, and that she posted the content because it got more views than her other posts, according to the lawsuit. Ms. Almanzar’s lawyers said that the rapper was not a prostitute, had never had herpes and had never used cocaine.

In a statement on Tuesday, Ms. Kebe’s lawyers, Olga Izmaylova and Sadeer Sabbak, said they disagreed with the verdict and planned to appeal it.

On Monday afternoon, Ms. Kebe said on Twitter that “My Husband, Attorney’s, & I fought really hard,” adding, “it’s only up from here.”

Ms. Almanzar had filed the lawsuit against both Ms. Kebe and Starmarie Ebony Jones, a guest on Ms. Kebe’s YouTube channel who had claimed to be a former friend of the rapper.

Ms. Jones was not included in the verdict on Monday because she moved to New York after Ms. Almanzar sued her, the rapper’s lawyers said. The lawyers filed another lawsuit against her in New York, where she was found liable last year on counts of libel, slander and invasion of privacy. A lawyer for Ms. Jones could not immediately be reached for comment on Monday night.

This case was not the first time the rapper found herself in court. She was indicted in Queens in 2019 in connection with a fight in a strip club the year before. The case is still ongoing.

Innovative Engineering Leader Drives Sustainable Energy Solutions at Oracle: Meet Nilesh Jain

Nilesh Jain, an accomplished engineering leader and AI expert, is making waves in the technology and energy sectors with groundbreaking contributions at Oracle America, Inc. With over 17 years of experience in software development, project management, and specialized expertise in artificial intelligence and cloud technology, Jain’s work is setting new standards for data integration and […]

Know More

Why Choose SERP Triumph: Best Digital Marketing Agency in India

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, businesses require more than just a website or social media presence. The key to thriving online lies in having an integrated digital strategy that covers SEO, paid marketing, social media management, and a user-friendly web experience. This is where SERP Triumph stands out. A Leading Digital Marketing Agency in India […]

Know More

Camden Francis: Building a Legacy of Innovation and Compassion

Introduction In an era where rapid technological advancements and societal challenges dominate, Camden Francis shines as a unique blend of innovation and compassion. Hailing from Greater Boston, Massachusetts, Camden’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance, community-focused entrepreneurship, and social change. From a curious child to a serial entrepreneur, public speaker, author, and […]

Know More