A jury on Monday agreed that Cardi B’s reputation was harmed by a woman who made salacious claims about the rap superstar on her YouTube channel.
Latasha Kebe was found liable for defamation, invasion of privacy through portrayal in a false light and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Cardi B was awarded $1.25 million U.S. and could also get punitive damages and legal fees from Kebe.
The rapper sued in 2019 over videos on the unWinewithTashaK channel and social media posts in which Kebe accused her of having herpes, using hard drugs, working as a prostitution and, during her days as a stripper, performing a sex act with a beer bottle.
“Only an evil person could do that s**t,” Cardi B testified at trial. "I had suicidal thoughts every single day, to the point that I felt like I was being a burden to my family.
"My mother and husband noticed I wasn’t happy. Every time I woke up I had anxiety.”
Cardi B’s case was bolstered earlier in the trial when Kebe admitted she "dragged" the rapper to stimulate engagement and boost revenues.
Following the verdict, Kebe tweeted: “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.
“I forgot to thank all of the viewers for all of your support. In this business, this is part of the protocol. Everyone in my seat has been through this, & this ain’t the last. This comes with the territory.”
This article has been updated since it was first published.