Cardi B has spoken out after being awarded an additional $3 million in her defamation lawsuit.
The 29-year-old took legal action against YouTuber Tasha K, whose real name is Latasha Kebe, after she published a series of “slanderous and defamatory statements” about her.
On Monday, a jury in the US state of Georgia found Latasha was liable for defamation, invasion of privacy, and for causing the rapper emotional distress.
On Tuesday, Latasha was ordered to pay Cardi $1 million in punitive damages after she accused the blogger of defamation.
Additionally, her company Kebe Studios LLC was ordered to pay an additional $500,000 and reimburse Cardi’s legal fees, which added up to $1,338,753.47.
All of that is in addition to the $1.25 million Latasha was ordered to pay Monday, making the total more than $4 million.
In a statement to Page Six, Cardi said: “After almost four years of repeated libel and slander against me, being able to walk away from this victorious brings me great happiness. I appreciate Judge Ray for conducting a fair and impartial trial.”
The New York native also said she did not think she would be “heard or vindicated” after the YouTuber spread “vile, disgusting and completely false narratives that were repeatedly and relentlessly being shared online.”
She continued: “I have never taken for granted the platform that my fame allows me to have, which is why for over three years I dedicated every resource I had to seek justice.”
“The only difference between me and the high schooler who is being cyberbullied and lied on by their classmates is the money and resources I have access to.”
“We collectively have to say enough is enough. We can no longer be a society that turns a blind eye to blatant lies,” the WAP singer added.
“The unchecked behavior and provably false content on platforms like YouTube have to be addressed and removed. The constant harassment and lies that are reported as factual from journalists and bloggers have to end.”
Cardi concluded by saying: “I am grateful for the jury and their careful deliberation over the past two weeks. I am profoundly grateful for the hard work and support from my legal team.”
“Most importantly, thank you to my family and close friends who held my hand and helped me get the support I needed during this experience.”
Cardi B previously said she felt “extremely suicidal”, developed fatigue, anxiety, weight loss and migraines as a result of the defamatory posts.
