Cardi B has won a libel case against the blogger Tasha K, who she accused of leading a “malicious campaign” of posts to taint her reputation.
The rapper accused the blogger – real name Latasha Kebe – of making “highly offensive” claims that she cheated on her husband Offset, had herpes and HPV, worked as a prostitute and used cocaine.
During the fourth day of the week-long trial, Cardi told the court that she’d “felt extremely suicidal” and “helpless” over the “false” online rumours. “Only an evil person could do that shit,” the New York artist said.
Now, as TMZ reports, Kebe has been found liable for defamation, invasion of privacy and causing emotional distress. She’s been ordered to pay Cardi $1.25million (£930,000) in general damages and $250k (£185,000) for medical expenses.
Cardi’s lawyers successfully argued that the star had suffered “embarrassment, humiliation, mental anguish, and emotional distress”.
The judge said that any potential punitive damages Kebe might owe Cardi will be determined at a later court hearing.
Kebe later tweeted about the verdict, writing: “My Husband, Attorney’s [sic] & I fought really hard. I want to thank them for their long hours and sleepless nights. Winos it’s only up from here. See y’all in a few days. Back to work.”
Cardi, meanwhile, wrote: “Why am I happy but sad at the same time?”
Why am I happy but sad at the same time?
— Cardi B (@iamcardib) January 25, 2022
Elsewhere in her testimony, Cardi told jurors that she had never felt suicidal before the ordeal. She also explained that she had struggled to be intimate with her husband, experienced anxiety and eventually decided to see a therapist due to the distress caused.
When questioned by Cardi’s attorneys earlier in the trial, Kebe reportedly told jurors that she knowingly published lies about the rapper in order to generate income for her business (via Law360).
Speaking previously to Rolling Stone, Cardi’s lawyer said: “My client does not have HPV and herpes. Two of the defamatory statements at issue are the vile, false, and highly offensive statements by the defendant that my client has herpes and HPV, and we provided these [STD testing] records 14 months ago in support of my client’s claims.”
Cardi’s lawsuit added: “None of the aforementioned statements about plaintiff are true. Plaintiff was never a prostitute or a user of cocaine. Plaintiff has never, and does not now, have herpes, nor has she had herpes outbreaks on her mouth.”
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