The US rapper Soulja Boy has been mandated to pay $4.25 million (£3.2 million) to a woman who alleged he sexually battered and abused her.
In 2021, an unidentified woman filed a lawsuit against the celebrity, known professionally as DeAndre Cortez Way, alleging that he frequently sexually assaulted her, physically abused her, and at times held her captive after she was employed as his assistant.
He had denied assaulting her and claimed their relationship was consensual. However, a jury in a civil case determined he was responsible for sexual battery, assault, and gender violence.
The 34-year-old smiled serenely as the judgment was announced on Thursday. as reported by the Courthouse News Service .
Outside the courthouse, he insisted on his innocence and stated that he would "dedicate himself to lodging an appeal and ensuring the truth comes to light."
At the trial, Way rejected the claims of assaulting or sexually attacking her, describing the allegations as "revolting."
However, after two days of discussions, the jury granted his accuser $4 million ($3 million) in compensatory damages along with an additional $250,000 (£200,000) in punitive damages.
It feels as though I received justice, she told Rolling Stone after the verdict.
It's clear that it won’t restore everything I've lost. The losses far outweigh the gains. My wish is for him not to continue this with additional women.
'Felt like an animal'
Soulja Boy has gained recognition for his lively party rap style, which produced chart-topping tracks such as "Crank That" (which reached No. 1 in the U.S.), "Kiss Me Through The Phone," and "PrettyBoySwag."
In 2010, his career reached its height as Forbes magazine reported he made $7 million (£5.3 million). Since then, he has branched out into music production and video game development.
As stated in legal papers, she began working as his aide in 2018 and they soon embarked on a personal affair.
She stated that the abuse quickly ensued. The legal action charged him with striking and sexually assaulting her multiple occasions.
In her statement, she mentioned that she had shed nearly half of her body mass while with him, reducing herself to approximately 6 stones (38 kilograms) before "I was able to escape from him."
She shared with the court, 'I didn’t feel human at all anymore. I felt more like an animal.'
She mentioned that she remained in the relationship due to Way threatening to harm her or her family, and also warned her that he would upload an explicit sexual video online if she decided to leave.
Courtroom-displayed text messages revealed a complex portrait of their connection.
Ways asked her to handle duties characteristic of an assistant role, such as arranging travel logistics or configuring computer hardware.
However, at other instances, he sent her texts such as "I wish you died slowly," "May you contract coronavirus," and "I should have eliminated you," the court was told.
During the proceedings, different messages were brought up where the woman messaged Way, “You tackled me and put pressure on my neck,” and also wrote, “I should have allowed you to strike me.”
His attorney, Ronald Zambrano, contended that the hip-hop artist never refuted the claims.
Nevertheless, he would apologize by sending messages like: "Baby return so we can have a serious conversation" and "Are you okay? I'm sorry, I love you. Please give me a call."
At the trial, Way refuted the assertion that his accuser was ever employed by him. Rather, he stated that he provided her with accommodation in return for rolling cannabis for him.
In his concluding statements, Way’s lawyer Rickey Ivie argued that the female accuser had fabricated her account and was driven by “envy, retaliation, and monetary benefit.”
Even though Way was deemed responsible for sexual assault, he was exonerated regarding accusations of false imprisonment and constructive dismissal.
This isn't the first time the rapper has encountered such accusations.
In 2023, he was mandated to compensate his former girlfriend, Kayla Myers, with $471,900 (£360,000), following a legal case involving allegations of assault and kidnapping that she initiated in 2020.