Why was Cardi B's attorney fined?

Cardi B's attorney was fined $1,500 for violating a court order by asking the rapper about alleged gang affiliations during her trial.

Was Cardi B found liable for assault?

No, a jury found Cardi B not liable for assault and battery after former security guard Emani Ellis accused her of scratching her.

What was the judge's ruling on the attorney's question?

The judge ruled that the attorney knowingly and intentionally violated the court's order by asking about alleged gang affiliations.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Judge Fines Cardi B's Lawyer for Courtroom Rule Break

Judge Fines Cardi B's Lawyer for Courtroom Rule Break

30 Jan

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Summary

A judge fined Ellis' attorney $1,500 for violating a court order.
The violation involved asking Cardi B about alleged gang affiliations.
The jury previously found Cardi B not liable for assault and battery.

Judge Fines Cardi B's Lawyer for Courtroom Rule Break

Los Angeles County Judge Ian C. Fusselman has issued a $1,500 fine to Emani Ellis' attorney, Ron A. Janfaza, for intentionally violating a court order during Cardi B's recent trial. The judge ruled that Janfaza knowingly broke a directive not to question the rapper about sensitive past issues, including alleged gang affiliations.

This sanction follows a jury's September 2025 verdict finding Cardi B not liable for assault and battery. Ellis had accused the rapper of scratching her outside a Beverly Hills medical office in February 2018. Janfaza's inappropriate question about gang ties was posed on August 26, 2025, shortly after the trial began.