Cardi B Wins Legal Battle Over Trial Costs

A judge has ruled that rapper Cardi B is entitled to recover nearly $20,000 in trial costs. This decision came after a security guard, Emani Ellis, unsuccessfully challenged the reimbursement, claiming the bill was submitted too late and constituted a 'sham.' The judge found the costs to be timely and essential for Cardi B's defense.

The ruling stems from a civil trial where a jury unanimously found in favor of Cardi B, whose testimony had gone viral. Ellis had accused Cardi B of assault during a 2018 confrontation outside a Beverly Hills medical office. The jury required only an hour to reach its verdict, concluding that Ellis failed to prove any physical contact.

During the trial, Cardi B testified that the dispute was purely verbal, initiated after she believed Ellis was filming her while she was pregnant. Defense witnesses, including a doctor and receptionist, corroborated Cardi B's account, suggesting Ellis was the aggressor. Ellis's lawyer faced sanctions for referencing alleged prior bad acts during the trial, which the judge deemed a "knowing and intentional" violation of a pretrial order.

This legal victory adds to Cardi B's recent successes. Following the trial verdict, she released special 'Courtroom Edition' CD covers for her album. Previously, she secured a $4 million jury verdict against vlogger Tasha K and won a libel lawsuit in New York.