Judge Sanctions Attorney for Violating Court Order During Cardi B Assault Trial
A Los Angeles County judge has fined an attorney $1,500 for violating a pretrial court order during testimony by Cardi B in a civil assault case that ended decisively in the rapper’s favor last year.
In a six-page ruling issued Wednesday, Judge Ian C. Fusselman found that attorney Ron A. Rosen Janfaza knowingly disregarded explicit instructions barring references to alleged gang affiliation when he questioned Cardi B during her Aug. 26 trial appearance. The ruling follows a jury verdict that cleared the artist of wrongdoing and the court’s earlier denial of the plaintiff’s request for a new trial.
The underlying lawsuit was filed by former security guard Emani Ellis, who alleged that Cardi B scratched her face during a confrontation outside a Beverly Hills medical office in February 2018. Jurors deliberated for approximately one hour before finding that Ellis failed to prove her claims.
Before trial, Judge Fusselman had issued a clear evidentiary ruling excluding references to what he described as “prior bad acts,” including exotic dancing and any alleged past association with gangs. The court found such topics irrelevant to the alleged incident and determined they would be unduly prejudicial and likely to confuse the jury.
Despite that order, Janfaza’s first question to the artist on the stand asked whether she had “any affiliation at this time with a gang.” Defense counsel immediately objected, and the judge cautioned Janfaza on the record.
Following the verdict, Cardi B’s legal team sought sanctions, arguing that the question violated the spirit and letter of the court’s ruling. Janfaza responded that he was sleep-deprived, that the question had been drafted by an office staff member, and that the phrasing “at this time” avoided referencing prior conduct.
Judge Fusselman rejected those explanations. “The court is not persuaded by any of these arguments,” he wrote, concluding that the question was “specifically drafted in an attempt to avoid directly violating the letter, but not the clear intent, of the court’s ruling.” The judge added that the violation was “knowing and intentional,” and not the product of stress, inexperience, or staff error.
As part of the sanctions, Janfaza was ordered to self-report the ruling to the California State Bar within 30 days and to pay the $1,500 fine by Feb. 27. Failure to do so, the judge warned, would result in the debt being sent to a private collections agency.
At trial, Cardi B, whose legal name is Belcalis Almánzar, testified that she never physically touched Ellis during the encounter. She said the dispute arose after she believed Ellis was attempting to film her, at a time when she was privately pregnant and concerned about her personal safety and privacy. The ruling marks another legal victory for Almánzar, who has prevailed in several high-profile civil cases in recent years, including defamation and copyright disputes.
