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New Update In Cardi B's 2018 Legal Battle With The 'Autograph Hunter'

Home / MSN / New Update In Cardi B's 2018 Legal Battle With The 'Autograph Hunter'

By Afouda Bamidele on March 25, 2024 at 5:48 PM EDT

The assault case against Cardi B and her husband, Offset, is moving out of the courtroom to a private mediation session.

The latest update in their battle with an autograph hunter comes via legal documents obtained by The Blast. The Supreme Court of the state of New York ordered both parties to address their differences with the aid of a court-appointed mediator.

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Cardi B To Address Assault Case After Failing To Get It Dismissed

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In the legal documents, the court explained that Cardi, Offset, and the other parties listed in Giovanni Arnold's 2018 assault lawsuit are to join the mediator for their first session virtually.

Sheryl Mintz Goski was appointed to help the autograph hunter and the famous couple resolve their case; however, the documents noted that they could request a "different mediator from the roster or attend a private mediation session at their own expense."

An initial 90-minute mediation session with the mediator assigned from the court's roster is free for all parties. Still, they will be charged for further mediation at the agreed-upon rate.

Upon completion of their mediation, Cardi's corner and Arnold are to appear for a post-mediation conference before the

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court. If they fail to sort out their differences with the mediator's help, the assault case will return to court, per the documents.

In the instance of another court battle, the filing stressed that everything said during the mediation session, excluding "threats of imminent harm" or "allegations of child abuse," will be kept confidential and unusable in court unless it is allowed by law.

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The Alleged Assault Occurred After The 2018 Met Gala

Cardi B at Met Gala - 2018
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The drama between Cardi and the autograph hunter began in May 2018 after she attended the Met Gala with her husband, Offset.

As they were leaving the star-studded event, Arnold tried to get an autograph, but three male assailants attacked him.

A video taken at the time showed the alleged assault; however, the "Bodak Yellow" rapper claimed that Arnold could be heard on tape verbally attacking her and Offset after failing to get their autographs.

In her court documents, she noted the autograph hunter could be heard yelling: "Please beat me up. I'll take all of your money."

She also denied any involvement in the assault, stressing that the men who attacked Arnold did not work for her, nor did she order them to assault him.

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Cardi further claimed that Arnold orchestrated the event to get money and requested for a judge to dismiss the assault lawsuit.

Meanwhile, Arnold remained adamant that the men who attacked him worked for the female rapper.

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The Alleged Victim Was Taken To The Hospital

A police car on scene
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The viral video of Arnold's assault saw him being repeatedly kicked and punched by three security guards outside the Mark Hotel in NYC in the early hours of the morning after failing to get the famous couple's autograph.

In the clip, the autograph hunter was later seen being transported to the hospital by ambulance at 2.30 am, where he was reportedly treated for back and neck pain.

At the time, the New York Police Department detectives investigated the alleged assault, but no charges were filed. Eventually, the case was declared closed in March 2019.

Cardi B Faced Another Assault Case

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Cardi's battle against the autograph hunter isn't her only assault drama, as she butted heads with a security guard in 2018. She was accused of attacking Emani Ellis; however, she claimed self-defense.

According to the "Up" hitmaker, her actions were "reasonably necessary" to protect herself from "assault." The case continued last year when she filed to have her past as a stripper kept out of court.

Cardi believed Ellis could use it to turn the jury against her by entering arguments based on her past. There have been other alleged altercations between the rapper and other parties, which she feared the security guard would use against her.

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What Happened Between Cardi & The Guard?

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The alleged assault took place on February 24, 2018, when a pregnant Cardi was visiting her obstetrician's office for a scheduled appointment. Ellis had been employed as a security guard for the filming; however, the rapper reportedly asked her to stop.

It is unclear how things went down, but Ellis alleged that Cardi "scratched her with her fingernail, yelled racial slurs at her and spit on her." The alleged victim had no pictures of her injuries, nor did she seek any medical care, per the court documents.

However, Ellis claimed that she suffered "physical, emotional, and psychological damages" as a result of the alleged altercation. The alleged encounter is said to have occurred for no more than sixty to ninety seconds.

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