Rapper Rick Ross stands charged with battery after a woman alleges
domestic violence
[October 02, 2026]
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Rapper Rick Ross was arrested in Miami
Beach early Thursday and charged with battery after a woman he was
living with told police he hit her, authorities said.
Ross, whose legal name is William Roberts II, surrendered at the Miami
Beach Police Station, two days after the woman filed a report with
police, officials said. Ross faces a felony charge of battery by
strangulation, as well as a misdemeanor battery charge, according to
online court records.
An attorney for Ross, 50, said in a statement that his client is being
wrongfully accused by an ex-girlfriend whose true motivations are
unclear.
“The ex did not even file a police report until a month after the
claimed incident allegedly took place,” defense attorney Steve Sadow
said in the statement. “Mr. Roberts is innocent and has pled not guilty
to the charges. He respectfully requests that his friends, fans and the
general public not prejudge the situation and allow the judicial process
to run its course.”
Ross was released from jail on a $5,000 cash bond later Thursday,
according to court records. An arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 22.
According to an arrest report, a woman told Miami Beach detectives that
she had been living with Ross on Aug. 28, when he accused her of
cheating on him and struck her multiple times. She said Ross also choked
her with the collar of her shirt and slammed her into a wall. The woman
said she was eventually able to leave the home and then returned later —
after Ross left — to collect her belongings.
Ross pleaded no contest in 2017 to aggravated assault after he was
accused of forcing a man into a guesthouse at his suburban-Atlanta
mansion in 2015 and beating him with a handgun, according to Georgia
court records. Under a first-offender program in Georgia, the court
issued an order exonerating Ross of guilt on that felony count.
[to top of second column]
|
Rick Ross performs during the BET Awards in Los Angeles on June 28,
2026. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)
 Ross is a longtime South Florida
resident who gained prominence in 2006 with his debut single “Hustlin'.”
The rapper and entrepreneur helped put Miami on the musical map in
the early 2000s, when most hip-hop fans looked to Atlanta and
Houston as Southern rap headquarters. “Hustlin'" was certified
platinum twice by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)
and sparked a bidding war for Ross. He eventually signed with Def
Jam Records, headed by Jay-Z.
Ross’ debut album, “Port of Miami,” also went platinum, debuting at
No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. It was the first in a series of
chart-toppers, including 2008’s “Trilla” and 2009’s “Deeper Than
Rap.” He has been nominated for nine Grammy Awards.
In 2008, he founded the influential label Maybach Music Group (MMG),
boosting the careers of signees like Wale, Meek Mill and French
Montana.
His most recent album, “Set In Stone,” was released in July.
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved
 |
