A four-year-long criminal case against Cardi B is finally over. The Grammy-winning rapper pleaded guilty on Thursday (September 15) for her involvement in a fight in a New York strip club in 2018 that left two bartenders injured. The fight apparently involved bottles, chairs, and hookah pipes being thrown after a “long-simmering feud.”
Cardi B’s two misdemeanor charges of assault and reckless endangerment carry with them the requirement to perform 15 days of community service. By taking a plea deal, 10 other counts, including two felonies, were dismissed. Two other defendants in the case also pleaded guilty.
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.”
Cardi B added: “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 – music and my fans.”
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement that her office was “satisfied with the resolution” and the penalty, which she called “appropriate community service.”
“No one is above the law,” Katz said. “In pleading guilty today, [Cardi B] and two co-defendants have accepted responsibility for their actions.”
In 2019, Cardi B rejected a plea deal over the same incident. She later pleaded not guilty to new felony charges from a grand jury.