Cardi B has emerged victorious in a prolonged legal battle against entertainment blogger Tasha K, securing a $4 million defamation judgment that the federal court has ruled cannot be discharged through Tasha K’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. This verdict, delivered by Judge Scott Grossman, signifies a significant legal setback for Tasha K, who will now be obligated to pay the full amount to the “Bodak Yellow” rapper.
Court documents obtained reveal that the judgment was issued on October 6, with Judge Grossman granting partial summary judgment. The ruling allows Tasha K to remain in her Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but the debt owed to Cardi B is deemed non-dischargeable under the terms of the judgment.
Earlier, Tasha K had offered Cardi B a fraction of the total owed, proposing to pay only $220,000 out of the $3.9 million. This offer was part of Tasha K’s proposed repayment plan filed within 30 days of her Chapter 11 filing. Cardi B objected to the proposal, asserting that Tasha K’s defamatory statements were the cause of the debt and insisted that the judgment should stand.
Two years after Cardi B’s initial defamation victory, Tasha K filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, claiming assets of less than $60,000. However, the federal judge, in a recent ruling on October 5, declared that Tasha K cannot use bankruptcy to discharge $3.4 million of the $3.9 million judgment. The bankruptcy law exception for “willful and malicious injury” applied in this case, as Tasha K was found to have incurred the debt through spreading false and defamatory statements.
While Tasha K‘s lawyers did not contest Cardi B’s arguments, Judge Grossman officially excluded $3.4 million from discharge, leaving only $500,000 in doubt. The fate of this remaining amount, owed by Tasha’s company Kebe Studios LLC, will be determined in future proceedings before the bankruptcy court.
Cardi B, whose real name is Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar, originally filed the lawsuit against Tasha K (Latasha Kebe) in 2019, alleging a malicious campaign aimed at damaging her reputation through false statements on social media and YouTube. The jury, after a trial in January, sided decisively with Cardi B, holding Tasha K liable for defamation, invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Despite Tasha K’s bankruptcy filing and the legal complexities surrounding dischargeable debts, Cardi B remains resolute in pursuing the $4 million judgment. The recent court decisions affirm that Tasha K cannot evade her financial obligations, ensuring that Cardi B’s legal victory will be upheld.
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