Cardi B's Legal Troubles: What Laws Did She Break?

In 2018, rapper Cardi B was involved in a brawl at a strip club in Queens, New York. The Grammy Award-winning artist, whose real name is Belcalis Almanzar, was indicted by a New York grand jury on charges of ordering an attack on two bartending sisters. Cardi B pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and reckless endangerment, both misdemeanors, and avoided jail time.

Cardi B's involvement in a strip-club fight

On September 15, 2022, Grammy Award-winning rapper Cardi B pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors for her involvement in a brawl at a strip club in Queens, New York, in August 2018. The rapper, whose real name is Belcalis Almanzar, pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and reckless endangerment.

The charges stemmed from a fight at Angels Strip Club in Flushing, Queens, which was reportedly fuelled by a long-simmering feud between Cardi B and two sisters who worked as bartenders at the club. Cardi B accused one of the women of having an affair with her husband, Offset, a member of the rap trio Migos.

During the brawl, Cardi B and her entourage threw bottles, chairs, and hookah pipes. Two employees suffered minor injuries.

Cardi B initially faced two felony counts of attempted assault and a slew of other lesser charges, including misdemeanor reckless endangerment, assault, criminal solicitation, conspiracy, and harassment. However, as part of a plea deal, she agreed to perform 15 days of community service in exchange for the initial charges. If she fails to complete the community service, she will be resentenced and face 15 days in jail.

Cardi B's alleged ordering of an attack on two bartenders

On 29 October 2018, American rapper Cardi B, born Belcalis Marlenis Cephus, turned herself in to the police and was arrested and charged for her alleged involvement in an attack on two bartenders at a strip club in Queens, New York, earlier that year.

The two bartenders, Baddie Gi and Jade, claimed that Cardi B ordered an attack on them because she believed that her husband, Migos rapper Offset, had an affair with one of them. A police spokesperson told CNN that Cardi was allegedly "throwing chairs, bottles and hookahs in the club at 3 a.m.".

Cardi B was charged with one count of assault and two counts of reckless endangerment. She was released without bail, but a judge issued orders of protection for the alleged victims, warning her to have no contact with either of them.

Cardi B pleaded not guilty to all charges. In June 2019, she was indicted by a New York grand jury on two felony counts of attempted assault and a slew of other lesser charges. In September 2022, she pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and second-degree reckless endangerment, resulting in a sentence of 15 days of community service.

Cardi B's felony charges

In 2018, Cardi B was involved in a strip-club brawl in Queens, New York, which led to felony charges being brought against her. The fight was reportedly sparked by suspicions that one of the bartenders at the club was romantically involved with Cardi B's husband, Offset, who was also at the club that night.

Cardi B, whose real name is Belcalis Almanzar, was indicted by a New York grand jury on two felony counts of attempted assault, as well as a number of other lesser charges, including misdemeanour reckless endangerment, assault, criminal solicitation, conspiracy, and harassment. Cardi B's entourage was accused of throwing chairs and bottles at two sisters, Jade and Baddie Gi, who were both injured in the altercation.

Initially, Cardi B was only facing misdemeanour charges, but after rejecting a plea deal, the case was presented to a grand jury, which returned an indictment that included the two felony charges. Cardi B pleaded not guilty to the felony charges in June 2019.

In September 2022, Cardi B pleaded guilty to two misdemeanour charges, admitting to orchestrating and participating in the attacks. She was sentenced to 15 days of community service and issued with a three-year order of protection for the victims. Ten other counts, including the two felonies, were dismissed.

Cardi B's misdemeanour charges

In 2018, Cardi B was involved in a brawl at a strip club in Queens, New York. The Grammy Award-winning artist, whose real name is Belcalis Almanzar, was indicted by a New York grand jury on charges stemming from an attack on two bartenders. Cardi B was accused of ordering an attack on the two sisters, who worked as bartenders at the club, because she suspected that one of them was sleeping with her husband, Offset, a member of the rap trio Migos. Cardi B and her entourage allegedly threw bottles, chairs, and hookah pipes during the clash, which left the two bartenders with minor injuries.

Initially, Cardi B was charged with two misdemeanours: assault and reckless endangerment. However, in 2019, the charges were upgraded to felonies, and she faced a total of 14 charges, including two counts of felony assault with intent to cause serious physical injury. Cardi B pleaded not guilty to all charges.

In 2022, Cardi B pleaded guilty to two misdemeanours: third-degree assault and reckless endangerment. She avoided jail time and was sentenced to 15 days of community service, which her attorney stated was consistent with the community service she had served over the previous few years. As part of the plea deal, Cardi B admitted in court that she had orchestrated the attack with her co-defendants and had exchanged direct messages with them on Instagram.

Cardi B's guilty plea

On September 15, 2022, Cardi B pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors for her role in a 2018 brawl in a Flushing, Queens strip club. The Grammy Award-winning artist, whose real name is Belcalis Almánzar, pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and reckless endangerment, both misdemeanors.

The charges had been upgraded to felonies when she was indicted in 2019, but on Wednesday, she pleaded guilty to the initial charges from the August 29, 2018, attack. The 29-year-old musician agreed to 15 days of community service. If she fails to complete the community service, she will have to serve 15 days in jail.

The attack at the Angels Strip Club in Flushing stemmed from a long-simmering feud between Cardi B and two sisters who are bartenders at the club. Cardi B reportedly accused one of the women of having an affair with her husband, Offset, a member of the rap trio Migos. A fight broke out, and Cardi B and others with her threw bottles, chairs, and hookah pipes in the clash.

As part of the plea deal, she admitted in court that she orchestrated with her co-defendants to attack the sisters. She also admitted to exchanging direct messages on Instagram.

The rapper appeared in court with two co-defendants, Tawana Jackson-Morel and Jeffrey Bush, who also pleaded guilty in court on Thursday. The 35-year-old Bush, accused of the actual assault, will serve six months behind bars. All three agreed to stay away from the two female victims.

In a statement, Cardi B said, "Part of growing up and maturing is being accountable for your actions. As a mother, it's a practice that I am trying to instill in my children, but the example starts with me. I've made some bad decisions in my past that I am not afraid to face and own up to. These moments don't define me and they are not reflective of who I am now. I'm looking forward to moving past this situation with my family and friends and getting back to the things I love the most--the music and my fans."

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