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A California judge ruled that Cardi's request to recoup the five-figure sum was "reasonable."
Cardi B departs Queens Court after not meeting her requirements for her misdemeanor guilty plea on January 17, 2023 in New York City. Cardi B violated the terms of her agreement by not fulfilling the 15 days of community service she agreed to in her plea. The judge has given her a second chance and she must fulfill her agreement by March 1st or face jail time. David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Cardi B‘s legal winning streak continues. Los Angeles judge Ian C. Fusselman ruled on Thursday (March 26) that Cardi (born Belcalis Almanzar) can recover nearly $20,000 in trial fees tied to her court victory over a security guard who accused her of assault.
According to the ruling viewed by Billboard, the Superior Court of California’s tentative decision was posted prior to Thursday’s hearing, which will allow Cardi to recoup the $19,690.26 legal tab from security guard Emani Ellis, who lost her assault lawsuit against the Grammy-winning rapper in September.
The five-figure sum will cover Cardi’s costs for “filing and motion fees, jury fees, deposition costs, costs for service of process, court reporter fees, model costs and photocopies.”
Ellis and her attorney, Ron Rosen Janfaza, had been fighting to avoid paying up the nearly $20,000 in fees since November.
Judge Fusselman found the costs to be “reasonable” and rejected Ellis’ motion to dodge the sum in its entirety, ruling that her “unevidenced and legally untethered bad faith argument” against Cardi was non-persuasive. The court additionally ruled that Cardi and her attorney actually provided “substantial evidence in its opposition.”
Back in January, a Los Angeles judge fined Ron Rosen Janfaza $1,500 for violating court orders during the 2025 assault trial. Rosen had quizzed Cardi B about alleged gang ties on the stand despite that line of questioning being barred from the courtroom.
“It was no accident. It was not the result of inexperience or stress,” Judge Fusselman wrote in January’s ruling. “It was a knowing and intentional violation of the court’s ruling.”
Ellis sued Cardi B in 2020, claiming that she was assaulted by the rapper during an altercation outside a Beverly Hills gynecologist’s office in 2018, where she was working as a security guard at the time. Ellis alleged that the incident turned physical and that a pregnant Cardi left her with a scratch across her face.
The complaint finally went to trial in September, and jurors took less than an hour to reject all of Ellis’ assault claims and cleared the Grammy-winning rapper of any wrongdoing.
“This time around, I’m gonna be nice, but the next person that try to do a frivolous lawsuit against me — I’m going to countersue, and I’m gonna make you pay because this is not okay,” Cardi said following the September ruling. “I work hard for my money for my kids and for people I take care of, so don’t you ever think that you gonna sue me, and I’m just gonna settle and just give you my money. It’s not gonna happen.”
Cardi B is currently on the road for her Little Miss Drama Tour, which continues on Thursday with a second New York show at Madison Square Garden.
Cardi B’s lawyer offered no comment on the ruling, and Ellis’ attorney did not return Billboard‘s request for comment.
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