Cardi B Strikes Deal In YouTuber's Subchapter V

Emily Lever | March 7, 2025

YouTuber Tasha K is set to wrap up her Subchapter V case while still on the hook for a $3.8 million defamation judgment in favor of rapper Cardi B, following a hard-fought plan process that will leave a “sword of Damocles” over Tasha K until the judgment is fully paid, the musician’s counsel told Law360 Friday.

Under a Subchapter V plan that a Florida bankruptcy judge confirmed Wednesday, Tasha K, whose real name is Latasha Kebe, will pay $1.1 million over five years to Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar, who performs under the name Cardi B.

The plan also includes a one-way nondisparagement clause forbidding Kebe from speaking negatively about Almánzar and will not clear the rest of Kebe’s balance after the five-year life of the plan ends, counsel for Cardi B, James Moon of Meland Budwick PA, told Law360.

“We have a sword of Damocles hanging over the debtor’s head,” Moon said.

The highly restrictive plan, he added, drove home the defamation verdict’s importance within the circle of social media personalities and vloggers who monetize their pop culture commentary.

“Bankruptcy was perceived to be an escape clause from a defamation judgment,” Moon said.

Kebe’s high-profile insolvency highlighted that the defamation judgments against her personally and against her business were nondischargeable, which threw cold water on that perception, according to Moon.

“The effect was — I don’t want to say chilling, I want to say instructive. They’re going to talk about celebs all day long, but you can’t lie about people,” he said. “This wild, wild west scenario where you can say whatever you want for clicks just because you’re a video blogger is over.”

After the initial payment plan is completed, or if Kebe defaults on her payments, Almánzar reserves the right to garnish the YouTuber’s income, according to Moon, who was co-counsel with Lisa Moore of Moore Pequignot LLC. Kebe would have the option to either negotiate with the rapper for another payment plan or go through bankruptcy again, either in Subchapter V or Chapter 13, also known as a wage earner plan.

The judge and a Subchapter V trustee in the case supported Almánzar’s version of the plan after the musician alleged Kebe tried to hide her assets and those of her company, Kebe Entertainment LLC, to frustrate her collection attempts.

After she was hit with the $3.8 million jury award in 2022, Kebe transferred assets belonging to her or Kebe Entertainment to her husband, Cheickna Kebe, and his solely owned company, Yelen Entertainment LLC, according to a motion to dismiss Almánzar filed in December 2024.

Latasha Kebe also transferred her ownership stake in her home to her husband, spent $25,000 setting up offshore trusts to hide her assets and lied under oath about her financial affairs, the motion said. After multiple depositions under Rule 2004 of the Bankruptcy Code, the Kebes admitted to trying to transfer the assets out of creditors’ reach, according to the filing.

Chad T. Van Horn of Van Horn Law Group PA told Law360 Friday, “We are pleased that Cardi B’s counsel is satisfied with the outcome of the plan confirmation.”

“My client is similarly ecstatic to put this matter behind her and focus on her business and career,” he said.

The 2022 jury award in Almánzar’s favor was the biggest defamation verdict won by a celebrity in decades, Moon noted, comparing it to Carol Burnett’s $1.3 million win — the equivalent of more than $7 million in 2025 dollars — against the National Enquirer in 1976.

After an Atlanta jury found Kebe and her business acted in bad faith to defame Almánzar, the recording artist moved to garnish the income Kebe derives from monetizing her social media platforms, and Kebe filed for bankruptcy in 2023.

Almánzar sued the YouTuber and her company in Georgia federal court in 2019 for defamation, invasion of privacy through portrayal in a false light, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Kebe had said in public videos and social media posts that Almánzar was a sex worker who had used cocaine and publicly performed a sexual act with a beer bottle, case records showed. Kebe also said Almánzar had oral herpes, or cold sores, as well as human papillomavirus, or HPV, and that she had cheated on her husband, who is also a well-known rapper.

The Atlanta jury concluded that Kebe and her business acted in bad faith or were stubbornly litigious, warranting their payment of punitive damages and litigation expenses. In addition to a judgment against Kebe herself, Kebe Entertainment was also hit with a $500,000 judgment.

Kebe is represented by Chad T. Van Horn of Van Horn Law Group PA.

Almánzar is represented in the bankruptcy case by Lisa Moore of Moore Pequignot LLC and James C. Moon of Meland Budwick PA.

The case is In re: Latasha Transrina Kebe, case number 0:23-bk-14082, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida.

This article was originally published by Law360 on March 7, 2025.

Cardi B Strikes Deal In YouTuber's Subchapter V. March 7, 2025. YouTuber Tasha K is set to wrap up her Subchapter V case while still on the hook for a $3.8 million defamation judgment in favor of rapper Cardi B, following a hard-fought plan process that will leave a “sword of Damocles” over Tasha K until the judgment is fully paid, the musician’s counsel told Law360 Friday. Under a Subchapter V plan that a Florida bankruptcy judge confirmed Wednesday, Tasha K, whose real name is Latasha Kebe, will pay $1.1 million over five years to Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar, who performs under the name Cardi B. The plan also includes a one-way nondisparagement clause forbidding Kebe from speaking negatively about Almánzar and will not clear the rest of Kebe’s balance after the five-year life of the plan ends, counsel for Cardi B, James Moon of Meland Budwick PA, told Law360. “We have a sword of Damocles hanging over the debtor’s head,” Moon said. The highly restrictive plan, he added, drove home the defamation verdict’s importance within the circle of social media personalities and vloggers who monetize their pop culture commentary. “Bankruptcy was perceived to be an escape clause from a defamation judgment,” Moon said. Kebe’s high-profile insolvency highlighted that the defamation judgments against her personally and against her business were nondischargeable, which threw cold water on that perception, according to Moon. “The effect was — I don’t want to say chilling, I want to say instructive. They’re going to talk about celebs all day long, but you can’t lie about people,” he said. “This wild, wild west scenario where you can say whatever you want for clicks just because you’re a video blogger is over.” After the initial payment plan is completed, or if Kebe defaults on her payments, Almánzar reserves the right to garnish the YouTuber’s income, according to Moon, who was co-counsel with Lisa Moore of Moore Pequignot LLC. Kebe would have the option to either negotiate with the rapper for another payment plan or go through bankruptcy again, either in Subchapter V or Chapter 13, also known as a wage earner plan. The judge and a Subchapter V trustee in the case supported Almánzar’s version of the plan after the musician alleged Kebe tried to hide her assets and those of her company, Kebe Entertainment LLC, to frustrate her collection attempts. After she was hit with the $3.8 million jury award in 2022, Kebe transferred assets belonging to her or Kebe Entertainment to her husband, Cheickna Kebe, and his solely owned company, Yelen Entertainment LLC, according to a motion to dismiss Almánzar filed in December 2024. Latasha Kebe also transferred her ownership stake in her home to her husband, spent $25,000 setting up offshore trusts to hide her assets and lied under oath about her financial affairs, the motion said. After multiple depositions under Rule 2004 of the Bankruptcy Code, the Kebes admitted to trying to transfer the assets out of creditors’ reach, according to the filing. Chad T. Van Horn of Van Horn Law Group PA told Law360 Friday, “We are pleased that Cardi B’s counsel is satisfied with the outcome of the plan confirmation.” “My client is similarly ecstatic to put this matter behind her and focus on her business and career,” he said. The 2022 jury award in Almánzar’s favor was the biggest defamation verdict won by a celebrity in decades, Moon noted, comparing it to Carol Burnett’s $1.3 million win — the equivalent of more than $7 million in 2025 dollars — against the National Enquirer in 1976. After an Atlanta jury found Kebe and her business acted in bad faith to defame Almánzar, the recording artist moved to garnish the income Kebe derives from monetizing her social media platforms, and Kebe filed for bankruptcy in 2023. Almánzar sued the YouTuber and her company in Georgia federal court in 2019 for defamation, invasion of privacy through portrayal in a false light, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Kebe had said in public videos and social media posts that Almánzar was a sex worker who had used cocaine and publicly performed a sexual act with a beer bottle, case records showed. Kebe also said Almánzar had oral herpes, or cold sores, as well as human papillomavirus, or HPV, and that she had cheated on her husband, who is also a well-known rapper. The Atlanta jury concluded that Kebe and her business acted in bad faith or were stubbornly litigious, warranting their payment of punitive damages and litigation expenses. In addition to a judgment against Kebe herself, Kebe Entertainment was also hit with a $500,000 judgment. Kebe is represented by Chad T. Van Horn of Van Horn Law Group PA. Almánzar is represented in the bankruptcy case by Lisa Moore of Moore Pequignot LLC and James C. Moon of Meland Budwick PA. The case is In re: Latasha Transrina Kebe, case number 0:23-bk-14082, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida. This article was originally published by Law360 on March 7, 2025. . Emily Lever, Other NewsArchive. March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 July 2024 June 2024 March 2024 November 2023 April 2023 . MRB. Contact us, Our attorneys, careers. About. Firm overview, Our Values, Community involvement, Representative matters. Pracrtice. Real Estate, Commercial Litigation, Receiverships and Assignments, Bankruptcy and Restructuring. In the News, Announcements, Film Videos. 2018 Meland, Russin, Budwick. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.