In 2021, Soulja Boy was sued by a former personal assistant as Jane Doe for sexual battery and assault. Today, the rapper born DeAndre Way was ordered to pay $4 million in compensatory damages after the jury found him liable of intentional infliction of emotional distress, sexual harassment, and non-payment of wages. A second phase of the trial will determine punitive damages.
“The district attorney never filed charges. I was never charged or convicted of this, criminally,” Way told Rolling Stone. “So, to be accused of this civilly is beyond me. I’ve never done any of the things they’re accusing me of. I just feel like this is very unfair.”
Doe's case accuses Way of raping and kidnapping her while she worked as his personal assistant beginning in 2018. Within a month of working for him, she allegedly received unsolicited nude photos from him. They developed a romantic relationship, but Way often showed a pattern of abusive behavior. He would “punch, kick, and body slam” in jealous rages. She alleges that on multiple occasions he would hit her in the head hard enough for her to lose consciousness, and she would wake up in a locked room with no food or water and he would then rape her.
In court, Doe's lawyer also called out the rapper for wearing fake glasses to the trial.
Among the many things Soulja Boy is being called out on in closing arguments today in his civil sexual battery trial is the fact that he’s worn eye glasses through the trial when he doesn’t actually need them. The woman’s lawyer just referred to them as his “fake glasses.”
— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) April 7, 2025
If you or someone you know has undergone sexual abuse, please visit rainn.org or contact the National Sexual Assault Helpline at 1-800-656-4673.
