Nicki Minaj Avoids Forced Sale of Hidden Hills Mansion After Satisfying Assault Judgment
Nicki Minaj has paid a long-outstanding civil judgment that nearly resulted in the court-ordered sale of her $20 million Hidden Hills mansion, resolving a legal dispute stemming from allegations of an assault involving her husband at a 2019 concert in Germany.
The resolution came just before a Los Angeles Superior Court judge was expected to authorize the sale of the property to satisfy a roughly $500,000 default judgment awarded to a former security guard. Rolling Stone reported that the judgment had been paid in full.
“She has satisfied the judgment,” the guard’s attorney, Paul Saso, said. “It happened at the very last moment.”
The payment was disclosed during a Thursday court hearing before Judge Cindy Pánuco, who had been prepared to issue an order forcing the sale of Minaj’s residence. Judge Pánuco acknowledged the late development from the bench and expressed relief that the matter had been resolved without further court action.
“I wanted to make sure we got this right,” Judge Pánuco said. “This was a significant enforcement issue, and I’m glad it was resolved in a way that makes sense for all parties involved.”
The judgment was awarded to Thomas Weidenmuller, a German security guard who sued Minaj and her husband, Kenneth Petty, in January 2022. Weidenmuller alleged that Petty assaulted him backstage at a concert in Frankfurt after Weidenmuller intervened in a dispute between Minaj and another security guard. According to court filings, Petty allegedly struck Weidenmuller in the face, resulting in severe jaw injuries that required multiple surgeries.
Weidenmuller said he was hospitalized for 10 days following the incident and later underwent reconstructive procedures involving metal plates and donor bone grafts. He initially sought more than $700,000 in damages for medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. In 2023, the court awarded him $503,318 after Minaj and Petty failed to respond to the lawsuit, resulting in a default judgment.
Enforcement of the judgment proved difficult. Weidenmuller’s attorneys told the court they attempted to collect through traditional means, including wage garnishment and levies on suspected income sources, but were unsuccessful. According to filings, multiple entities either failed to respond or denied holding payable accounts tied to Minaj.
As a result, Weidenmuller sought a writ of execution allowing the forced sale of Minaj’s Hidden Hills home. Court documents showed the property carried a mortgage balance of approximately $13.3 million and was appraised at $20 million. After accounting for liens and a statutory homestead exemption, a sale was expected to yield sufficient proceeds to cover the judgment.
The court initially delayed ruling on the application due to missing financial documentation related to the mortgage balance and accrued interest. Judge Pánuco indicated she needed to ensure that any sale would fully satisfy all obligations before approving such an extraordinary remedy.
Outside the courthouse, Saso said his client was relieved to see the case resolved after years of litigation and enforcement efforts. “It took a long time to reach this point,” he said. “But the judgment has finally been honored.”
The couple married in 2019 and has one child. Petty remains a defendant in a separate federal civil lawsuit in New York related to a prior sexual assault conviction.
The resolution brings an end to the enforcement phase of the German assault case, which had grown increasingly contentious as it moved toward one of the most severe collection measures available under California law.
