Rapper Soulja Boy, born DeAndre Way, has been ordered by a California jury to pay $4 million in a civil lawsuit brought by a Jane Doe who accused him of sexual battery, emotional abuse, and harassment during a two-year relationship.
The jury found Soulja Boy liable for intentional infliction of emotional distress, sexual harassment, and non-payment of wages. However, he was cleared of charges related to false imprisonment and constructive discharge.
The lawsuit, filed in January 2021, alleged that Doe began working as Soulja Boy’s personal assistant in 2018. Within weeks, their relationship became romantic, and she claimed it quickly turned abusive. She testified that Way sent her explicit photos, locked her in a room without food for days, and physically assaulted her on multiple occasions.
Photos of bruises and threatening text messages—including one reading “Die bitch. Shoulda killed your stupid ass”—were key evidence in the case. Soulja Boy denied the abuse, arguing that the relationship was consensual and that Doe was never officially employed by him. He claimed she lived with him in exchange for rolling blunts and portrayed her as financially motivated.
Doe’s legal team originally sought $73.6 million in damages. Her attorney, Ron Zambrano, said during closing arguments, “If you do believe her, give her everything.”
Soulja Boy has previously faced legal action for similar allegations. In 2023, he was ordered to pay $471,800 to another ex-girlfriend over assault and kidnapping claims, and a separate 2021 case accused him of assaulting a pregnant woman who later suffered a miscarriage.
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