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Judge Fines Cardi B's Lawyer for Courtroom Rule Break
30 Jan
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.
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.
Despite attempts to justify the question, the judge was unpersuaded, stating Janfaza clearly understood the court's ruling. The attorney must pay the fine by February 27 and report the sanctions to the California State Bar within 30 days. Cardi B had previously denied Ellis' assault claims, admitting only to a verbal altercation.
