Cardi B won more than $4 million in a libel suit against a celebrity gossip blogger who falsely claimed in YouTube videos that the rapper was a “prostitute,” did cocaine, and had contracted STDs.
A jury in federal court in Georgia awarded Cardi B $1.25 million on Monday in the lawsuit, including $1 million in general damages and $250,000 in medical expenses, against Latasha Kebe, also known as Tasha K, according to court records.
On Tuesday, the jury added another $1.5 million in punitive damages against Kebe, Cardi B’s attorney Lisa Moore confirmed. Kebe was also ordered to pay Cardi B’s legal fees of more than $1.3 million.
Cardi B, whose given name is Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar, filed the lawsuit in 2019 after Kebe posted a series of videos on her YouTube channel making a number of false claims, including that the rapper’s child was going to be born with mental disabilities and that she was a “prostitute,” had herpes, and did drugs, including molly and cocaine.
According to the complaint, Cardi B’s attorneys claimed the blogger made the false and outlandish claims in order to increase the number of viewers to her YouTube channel.
The videos, according to the lawsuit, caused Cardi B to “suffer embarrassment, humiliation, mental anguish, and emotional stress.”
A representative for Cardi B did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But in a statement published by Variety, the rapper said the legal victory “brings me great happiness.”
“During this trial, all of you have learned about the darkest time in my life. That moment in time was fueled by the vile, disgusting, and completely false narratives that were repeatedly and relentlessly being shared online,” she added. “I thought I would never be heard or vindicated and I felt completely helpless and vulnerable. I have never taken for granted the platform that my fame allows me to have, which is why for over three years I dedicated every resource I had to seek justice.”
Attorneys for Kebe also did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but on Twitter, the blogger thanked her viewers for their support.
Kebe also said she would be issuing her first and only response to the legal outcome Wednesday on her YouTube channel. Her attorney also told Variety that they disagree with the verdict and will be filing an appeal.
