Almánzar v. Yelen Entertainment sees Cardi B seeking redress over alleged fraudulent transfers in Florida court.
In a high-stakes legal battle, renowned artist Belcalis Almánzar, professionally known as Cardi B, has filed a lawsuit against Yelen Entertainment, LLC, and associated parties in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The suit, filed on May 6, 2026, alleges a series of fraudulent transfers, among other grievances, committed under Florida's Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act (FUFTA). Almánzar is seeking redress for over .2 million in damages, citing fraudulent actions intended to obscure and shield assets from creditors.
The case revolves around the alleged transfer of assets from Kebe Studios to Yelen Entertainment, purportedly conducted with the intent to defraud Almánzar and evade a substantial judgment previously awarded to her. Almánzar, a resident of New York, leverages her claims under both diversity jurisdiction and Florida statute, alleging that Yelen Entertainment serves as a continuation of Kebe Studios with overlapping ownership and operational control.
According to the complaint, the legal saga began following a previous successful defamation lawsuit by Almánzar against Kebe Studios, which resulted in a sizable judgment in her favor. In the aftermath, Kebe Studios is accused of having unlawfully transferred valuable assets to Yelen Entertainment, a separate entity but, Almánzar asserts, essentially a mere extension of the original company. Almánzar's filing asserts that these transfers were executed after the significant debt was incurred and under circumstances that point to attempts to obstruct creditor remediation, identified as typical "badges of fraud" under FUFTA.
The complaint narrates that key resources, including intellectual property and financial assets, were moved without fair compensation to Yelen Entertainment, allegedly rendering Kebe Studios insolvent. These maneuvers, Almánzar contends, were concealed and executed rapidly following her court victory to circumvent the financial liability imposed by her judgment.
The lawsuit posits several claims rooted in FUFTA, beginning with the allegation of actual fraudulent transfer under Florida Statute § 726.105(1)(a). Almánzar asserts that the transfers were made with actual intent to hinder, delay, or defraud her ability to collect on the judgment owed by Kebe Studios. Key indications of fraud include transfers to insiders, lack of consideration, and the resulting insolvency of Kebe Studios.
Additionally, Almánzar claims constructive fraudulent transfer under § 726.105(1)(b), arguing that Kebe Studios did not receive reasonably equivalent value for the alleged asset transfers to Yelen, and was insolvent as a result of these transactions. The complaint further invokes successor liability, based on allegations that Yelen Entertainment is a mere continuation of Kebe Studios, employing the doctrine of piercing the corporate veil to hold Yelen accountable.
Almánzar seeks to unwind the purported fraudulent transfers, potentially imposing a constructive trust or securing a money judgment against Yelen Entertainment and affiliated entities. The broader implications of the case reflect upon corporate practices regarding asset transfers and creditor rights, questioning the limits of corporate separateness and transparency within high-stake financial maneuvers. The case challenges the notion of business certainty, emphasizing creditor protection over formalistic corporate strategies.
With the lawsuit formally filed, the procedural dynamics now pivot towards service of the complaint and subsequent responses by the defendants. Yelen Entertainment and related defendants are expected to contest the allegations vigorously, typically culminating in motions to dismiss or summary judgment motions to contest the claims substantively. Discovery, including depositions and document productions, will likely play a critical role in unveiling the transactions' deeper details.
David Brunk is a civil litigation attorney. He can be reached at david@newmanbrunk.com.
From the Complaint Public Court Record
1 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA FORT LAUDERDALE DIVISION Case No: BELCALIS MARLENIS ALMÁNZAR, an individual Plaintiff, v. YELEN ENTERTAINMENT, LLC, a Florida limited liability company, and CHEICKNA KEBE, an individual Defendants. ___________________________________ / COMPLAINT AND DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL Plaintiff BELCALIS MARLENIS ALMÁNZAR (“Ms. Almánzar” or “Plaintiff”), by and through undersigned counsel, sues Defendants YELEN ENTERTAINMENT, LLC, a Florida limited liability company (“Yelen”) and CHEICKNA KEBE, an individual (“C. Kebe” and, together with Yelen, “Defendants”), and states: I. NATURE OF THE ACTION 1. This is an action by a judgment creditor to recover on two related, but legally distinct judgments entered against Debtor Latasha Transrina Kebe a/k/a “Tasha K” (“Debtor”), and her former business entity, Kebe Studios, LLC (“Kebe Studios”), by reaching assets that Defendants fraudulently received, concealed, or diverted from Ms. Almánzar’s reach. This action is filed pursuant to and consistent with the Confirmation Order [Bankr. S.D. Fla., Case No. 23- 14082, Dkt. No. 197] entered in the Bankruptcy case of Latasha Transrina Kebe, Case No. 23- 14082 (Bankr. S.D. Fla.) (the “Bankruptcy Case”), which expressly preserves Ms. Almánzar’s Case 0:26-cv-61352-AHS Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 05/06/2026 Page 1 of 23
2 right to commence this action against non-debtor third party insiders and their affiliates (including Yelen and C. Kebe) for the purpose of avoiding the expiration of applicable statutes of repose, and which authorizes the filing of this action notwithstanding any stay or injunction arising from the Bankruptcy Case. Consistent with the Confirmation Order, Ms. Almánzar files this action to preserve her claims against Defendants, and upon obtaining further relief from the Bankruptcy Court authorizing adjudication, she intends to prosecute this action to final judgment.
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