Rick Ross charged with battery after alleged attack on girlfriend

Rapper Rick Ross was arrested Thursday after he was accused of beating his girlfriend at his Miami Beach home, according to authorities.

Ross, whose legal name is William Leonard Roberts II, was charged with felony battery by strangulation and misdemeanor battery in connection with a domestic violence incident at his home on Miami Beach’s exclusive Star Island, according to a statement and affidavit from the Miami Beach Police Department.

Police said the accuser reported that Ross, 50, struck her multiple times during an altercation on Aug. 28 and restricted her breathing by twisting the collar of her hoodie.

The woman, whom police did not name, reported the incident to police on Tuesday. Ross turned himself in Thursday morning. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

An attorney for Ross did not immediately return a request for comment.

The woman provided detectives with a sworn statement and photographs documenting her injuries, police said. A criminal affidavit identifies the woman as Ross’ girlfriend at the time of the incident.

On the morning of Aug. 28, Ross was “enraged” that his girlfriend was tagged in an Instagram photo, accused her of lying to him and slapped her across the face, the affidavit says.

Later that morning, according to the police record, Ross accused her of having a romantic relationship with someone she said she was “merely friends with.”

The woman told police that Ross then struck her in the chest several times and choked her “to the point she could not breathe by grabbing the collar of the hoodie she was wearing and twisting it,” the affidavit said.

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

Ross then grabbed her by her ponytail and slammed her against a wall, the affidavit says.

She told police she escaped the residence, returned and waited until Ross left before retrieving her belongings, according to the affidavit. The two dated for about a year, and lived together at the Star Island home at the time of the incident, the affidavit says.

Ross is best known for his breakout single “Hustlin’,” released in 2006, as well as “Aston Martin Music” and “Stay Schemin.” He’s received nine Grammy nominations.

The rapper’s bond was set at $5,000 for the battery by strangulation charge and $1,000 for the battery charge, according to online jail records.

If you or someone you know is facing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence hotline for help at (800) 799-SAFE (7233), or go to www.thehotline.org for more. States often have domestic violence hotlines as well.