Cardi B And Sister Sued Over Encounter At Smith Point Beach; Plaintiffs Claim They Were Targeted For Wearing MAGA Hat
MILLER PLACE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - A video rap singer Cardi B posted to social media is now part of a lawsuit. It centers around a clash involving her sister and Long Island beachgoers.
As CBS2's Jenna DeAngelis reports, the viral video starts with colorful language, focused on a man asking the woman recording it to move her car. It quickly escalates.
The confrontation was captured by Cardi B's sister Hennessy Carolina, who was at Smith Point Beach with her girlfriend Michelle Diaz on Labor Day weekend.
Cardi B was not there, but tweeted the video to her 14 million followers, saying Trump supporters harassed her sister.
The ordeal resulted in three Long Islanders seen in the video filing a lawsuit.
"The video is chopped up to make me look bad, to make Pauline look bad, to make Pete look bad, and its ridiculous," said Manuel Alarcon of Middle Island. "I'm upset, I'm in fear."
Alarcon, who was at the beach with his wife, Peter and Pauline Caliendo with their family, say there's more to the story. They claim it started with them, strangers themselves, who were already on the beach and asked Diaz not to park where she was, blocking Alarcon, who was ready to leave.
"From out of nowhere we were barraged by Hennessy running up the beach screaming at us with her camera out," Peter Caliendo said.
John Ray represents the plaintiffs involved.
"These folks are in real fear for themselves from what can be done to them by these people, and they are defamed, and their reputation destroyed," Ray said.
"In the tweet, Cardi B claims you were harassing her sister and her girlfriend because of their race and sexual orientation. Is that true?" DeAngelis asked.
"Oh my God no, no. We are not racist. We are not homophobes," Peter Caliendo said.
DeAngelis also asked them about the recording posted to social media. In the video, the women claim the plaintiffs told them to get out of there, go back to their [expletive] country because they saw them parking there and they were speaking Spanish.
"The entire audio was false," said Pauline Caliendo.
"So what prompted them to say these things? What was the exchange? What did you say to them?" DeAngelis asked.
"You have to move your car. That is all I said," said Peter Caliendo.
Hennessy is accused of assault, battery, threatening and defaming the beachgoers. Cardi B and Diaz are being sued for defamation and civil rights violations.
"There are consequences, and these are the consequences. You're getting sued," Ray said. "I know Cardi B sings a song about money. This is about money. These people's reputations are about money. That's what you bring lawsuits for."
Ray says they're collectively seeking at least $20 million in damages.
The plaintiffs called police, but the women were already gone when they got there.
The three plaintiffs say the had no idea who the women were until after the video went viral.
CBS2 has reached to representatives for Cardi B and Hennessy but have not yet heard back.
The lawsuit also states Carolina yelled at the plaintiffs, and her saliva put them at risk of coronavirus. The plaintiffs have not been tested.
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