Cardi B Testifies In Civil Trial Over 2018 Incident With Security Guard

Los Angeles, August 27, 2025: Rapper Cardi B was in a courtroom in the Los Angeles area on Tuesday giving her testimony in a civil trial relating to allegations she had assaulted a security guard at a Beverly Hills medical office in 2018 while pregnant with her first child.

Carbi B Denies Physical Assault

Cardi B, whose real name is Belcalis Almanzar, told jurors absolutely no physical actions took place. She did acknowledge using foul language, but denied spitting, scratching, or hitting the security guard. She said the incident started when a guard named Emani Ellis raised her phone and seemed to be recording her outside of a private OB-GYN visit which made her feel her privacy was being invaded.

Security Guard’s Statement About the Incident

Ellis provided a different story about the allegations, stating that Cardi B blew up in anger toward Ellis, spat on her, cursed at her, and then also scratched Ellis's face leaving a mark, which required cosmetic services on later. Ellis testified to feeling stunned and embarrassed, and emotionally disturbed from the encounter, saying it was more than just being assaulted at work because of the emotional aspect to the effect of this incident on her confidence and work. The jurors were taking in every detail to the testimony, down to the shape of individual fingernails, and evaluating the credibility of Cardi B's version of the event compared to Ellis's version.

What Happened During the Cardi B Hearing

Outside of the legal arguments, on the side of the personal/human side, Cardi B explained that she had felt protective of her privacy at what was an incredibly vulnerable emotional time for her, while Ellis talk about the ongoing emotional torture of the alleged incident in the trial. There were also important human dynamics in play in a celebrity trial, where the personal emotional element, scrutiny from breathless media attention, and interest from then public happened in the courtroom.

"Body-shaming me, racial slurs…a lot."

Plaintiff #EmaniEllis testified that a pregnant #CardiB verbally assaulted her before spitting on her and taking a "swing" at her while she was on duty as a security guard.#CourtTV What do YOU think?
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— Court TV (@CourtTV) August 25, 2025

Latest Updates From the Courtroom

So this is a civil case for assault and other claims, and therefore there are not any criminal charges. The trial is still going and I expect more testimony in the next few days before the jurors make up their mind. In this case, there are the larger issues about privacy, personal space, and how famous people should respond to confrontational situations when they feel vulnerable or threatened.