Cardi B Appears in Court for Hearing Over Strip Club Assault Charges

Four days after Cardi B faced a possible arrest warrant for skipping a court date stemming from a misdemeanor assault charge, the rapper appeared at a New York court Friday where she was ordered to avoid contact with the two strip club employees involved in the incident.

“Defendant Belcalis Almanzar – aka #CardiB – has been arraigned in #Queens Criminal Court,” Queens, New York district attorney Richard A. Brown tweeted. “My office requested $2,500 bail, but she was released on her own recognizance. The next court date is Jan. 31. Orders of protection were issued.”

The misdemeanor reckless endangerment and assault stem from an August incident at Queens, New York’s Angels Strip Club, where Migos – including Cardi B’s now-former husband Offset – were scheduled to perform.

According to two female bartenders at the venue, Cardi B ordered her posse to attack the women, one of whom was rumored to have have sex with Offset. The rapper’s crew allegedly threw bottles, chairs and a hookah at the bartenders, resulting in serious injuries, TMZ reported in August.

Following Cardi B’s arraignment on the charges on October 1st, her lawyer Jeff Kern told the Associated Press, “We are aware of no evidence that she caused anybody any harm from that night. We expect the matter to be resolved expeditiously.”

Cardi B was due in court Monday for a court hearing related to the charges but instead attended Art Basel in Miami. “I want you to convey to her that it’s not acceptable that she’s not here today,” Queens Criminal Court Judge Sean Dunn told Kern Monday. “You should inform her that if she doesn’t show up, that unless circumstances change, it’s very likely that the court will issue a bench warrant for her arrest.”

The rapper’s court date Friday coincided with the reveal of the 2019 Grammy nominations; Cardi B is up for five awards, including Album of the Year and Best Rap Album for Invasion of Privacy.