Cardi B has scored a legal victory in the defamation lawsuit against a YouTube blogger who made false allegations about the rapper.
On Monday (Jan. 24), a federal jury decided that blogger Latasha Kebe, also known as Tasha K, was found liable for defamation and two other forms of wrongdoing over her internet posts and YouTube videos, which claimed the “Bodak Yellow” emcee had herpes, used cocaine and “fucked herself with beer bottles on fucking stripper stages.”
According to Billboard, the verdict awarded Cardi $1.25 million in damages, but that number could potentially increase. Proceedings will begin on Tuesday (Jan. 25) to determine whether Kebe owes additional punitive damages or whether she has to reimburse the Invasion of Privacy rapper’s legal fees.
As REVOLT previously reported, Cardi filed a lawsuit against Kebe back in 2019 after she made dozens of YouTube videos making slanderous accusations about the Bronx native. In those videos, Kebe said Cardi had been a prostitute, had STDs, did hard drugs and cheated on her husband Offset.
The defamation trial began on Jan. 10. Cardi took the stand and told the jury that the false reports took a toll on her mental health. She said the posts made her feel unworthy of being a mother to her daughter and caused her to develop anxiety, fatigue, migraines and weight loss. She testified that she pursued therapy to help her cope with her feelings. “I felt extremely suicidal,” Cardi said. “I felt defeated and depressed and I didn’t want to sleep with my husband.”
Kebe testified that she knowingly posted lies about the “WAP” rapper, however, she later tried to recant that statement when questioned by her own attorneys.
In the upcoming weeks, Kebe’s lawyers can challenge Monday’s verdict to the judge. If he sustains it, her attorneys will then be able to appeal the verdict to a federal appeals court.