Rick Ross Was Arrested in Miami on a Felony Battery by Strangulation Charge After His Ex-Girlfriend Accused Him of Abuse

01 Oct 2026, 16:19 · Thought Catalog

Aaron J. Thornton / Getty Images

Updated 14 minutes ago, October 1, 2026

Rick Ross pleaded not guilty after his October 1 arrest in Miami on a felony battery by strangulation charge, and a judge ordered him to stay away from the alleged victim. The rapper, 50, was being held on $5,000 bail, according to jail records cited by Us Weekly. CBS News also reported a misdemeanor battery charge.

During a virtual bond hearing Thursday, Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer barred Ross from contacting the alleged victim directly or through anyone else, and ordered him to stay away from her home and workplace. She was identified in court by her initials.

Jazzma Kendrick, in a red gown, and Rick Ross pose together on the red carpet at the BET Awards 2026 at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on June 28, 2026. Photo by Bennett Raglin / Getty Images for BET.

TMZ reported that an ex-girlfriend had contacted police days before the arrest, alleging that Ross struck her. His ex, influencer Jazzma Kendrick, 39, had also publicly accused him of physical abuse on September 26, saying the alleged incident happened in August.

“The day Rick busted my lip and the day I left,” Kendrick wrote on Instagram Stories. She urged anyone experiencing abuse to leave: “Value your life and leave.”

Diamond chains and rings on full display, Rick Ross paused on the Peacock Theater red carpet in Los Angeles to adjust his tinted sunglasses during BET Awards 2026 arrivals on June 28, 2026. Photo by Aaron J. Thornton / Getty Images.

Ross’ attorney denied the allegations in a statement to Us Weekly on October 1, identifying the rapper by his legal name, William Roberts II. The attorney said the ex-girlfriend waited a month after the alleged incident to file a police report and questioned her motivations.

“He respectfully requests that his friends, fans and the general public not prejudge the situation and allow the judicial process to run its course,” the attorney said.

Jazzma Kendrick and Rick Ross arrive hand-in-hand on the red carpet at the BET Awards 2026 held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on June 28, 2026. Photo by Aaron J. Thornton / Getty Images.

In a September 28 Instagram Stories update, Kendrick thanked people who’d supported her and said she’d begun healing. “Speaking up wasn’t easy, but your support reminded me I made the right choice.”

Ross and Kendrick were romantically linked in August 2025 and attended the BET Awards together in June 2026.

If you’re experiencing domestic violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline offers confidential support at 1-800-799-7233.

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