Judge Tosses Lawsuit Against Vybz Kartel Over U.S. Shows, O-1B Visa

A New York Supreme Court judge on Tuesday (March 3) dismissed a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against Vybz Kartel and a promoter over the Dancehall star’s U.S. performances and his O-1B visa.

The reason for the dismissal was not stated in court papers obtained by DancehallMag. The attorney who represented Kartel declined to comment on the case.

However, the documents show that the suit was filed in July 2025 by Karen Soltau-Mutebi and her company, The Conglomerate Group Inc.

At the center of the dispute was the three-year O-1B visa issued to Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, on January 29, 2025.

Soltau-Mutebi claimed that Conglomerate funded and facilitated the visa petition and, as a result, they held exclusive rights to promote Kartel’s U.S. engagements through January 2028.

One exhibit filed in the case showed that Kartel’s visa carried a clearance annotation naming The Conglomerate Group Inc.

In an affidavit filed with the court, Soltau-Mutebi claimed that her company’s alleged agreement with Kartel entitled it to between 5 percent and 25 percent of gross proceeds from all U.S. events involving the artist, depending on the project. She also said the company had been designated to negotiate branding and merchandising deals, and a documentary project surrounding his life.

The filings say Soltau-Mutebi was introduced to co-defendant Cassandra Johnson, who operates under the names Epic League Events and Reggae Fest, with the expectation that they would collaborate under the artist’s business plan.

But Soltau-Mutebi alleged that Johnson later bypassed her company and acted as if she had sole control over Kartel’s U.S. events.

She claimed Johnson organized Kartel’s first two U.S. concerts in more than 20 years — the Barclays Center shows on April 11 and 12, 2025 — without her consent and without paying Conglomerate, though the affidavit claimed that the dispute was later settled and payment was made for those shows.

Soltau-Mutebi further alleged that Johnson went on to organize additional Kartel performances without authorization, including dates at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on June 6, 2025 Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on June 14, 2025 and CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore on July 26, 2025.

“[Kartel] has been honouring these illegal arrangements with Johnson without the authority or consent of the Plaintiffs, and without using the plaintiffs’ outfit to promote and organize these events, in violation of his visa terms and in violation of the contract he entered into with plaintiffs,” the complaint claimed.

“Under the conditions, terms, and duration of the artiste’s visa, plaintiffs own the exclusive right to engage and/or promote him in the US for any paid or employment activity,” it continued.

Soltau-Mutebi also accused Johnson of defamation, claiming she told venue operators and other industry figures that the plaintiffs were “attempting to harm the artist’s immigration status.”

The plaintiffs had sought US$4 million in compensatory damages, US$2 million in punitive damages, and proceeds from the shows that they claimed were staged without their authorization.

Kartel was represented by Townsend Law Firm, PLLC, while Johnson was represented by Padilla & Associates, PLLC.

Soltau-Mutebi and The Conglomerate Group were represented by attorneys Chidi Anthony Eze and Natasha Holly Applewhite.

The matter was heard by Justice Brendan T. Lantry.