Rapper William Roberts II, known professionally as Rick Ross, was arrested on October 18 on felony battery by strangulation and misdemeanor battery charges, according to Kenyan state broadcaster KBC. Authorities reported that a woman with whom Ross was living alleged he assaulted her two days prior, citing an incident on August 28 when he accused her of infidelity and struck her multiple times. She claimed Ross also choked her with the collar of her shirt and forced her against a wall, later returning to retrieve her belongings after he left, as reported by U.S. media outlets. Ross, 50, was released on $5,000 cash bail with an arraignment scheduled for October 22.
Ross’s attorneys, Steve Sadow and Bradley Horenstein, disputed the allegations, stating their client was
The ex did not even file a police report until a month after the claimed incident allegedly took place,
Mr. Roberts is innocent and has pled not guilty to the charges. He respectfully requests that his friends, fans and the general public not prejudge the situation and allow the judicial process to run its course.
This is not Ross’s first legal entanglement. In 2017, he pled no contest to aggravated assault after a 2015 incident in which he allegedly forced a man into a guesthouse at his suburban-Atlanta mansion and struck him with a handgun, according to Georgia court records. Under a first-offender program, the court exonerated Ross of the felony charge, though the case remains part of his legal history.
The case has drawn attention to domestic violence allegations against high-profile individuals and the complexities of legal proceedings in such matters. Ross’s arrest underscores ongoing public scrutiny of his personal conduct alongside his music career. The outcome of the current charges could impact his legal standing and public perception, with the judicial process set to determine the validity of the allegations. Authorities have not released further details about the victim or the nature of the relationship beyond the reported timeline and incidents.