A New York Supreme Court judge has dismissed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit filed against dancehall star Vybz Kartel and a concert promoter regarding the artiste’s U.S. performances and immigration status. The decision was made on March 3, ending the case that had been brought forward last year.

The lawsuit was originally filed in July 2025 by Karen Soltau-Mutebi and her company, The Conglomerate Group Inc. Their claim centered on Kartel’s three-year O-1B visa, which was granted on January 29, 2025, and allows individuals with extraordinary artistic ability to work in the United States.

Soltau-Mutebi argued that her company had financed and assisted with the visa application. Because of that involvement, she claimed the firm had secured exclusive rights to manage and promote Kartel’s performances in the United States through January 2028. Court filings included documents indicating that the visa carried an annotation referencing The Conglomerate Group Inc.

According to her affidavit, the company’s alleged agreement with Kartel entitled it to a share of revenue from his American events—between 5% and 25% of gross earnings, depending on the project. The company also claimed it had authority to negotiate branding partnerships, merchandise deals, and a documentary project connected to the dancehall artist.

The dispute intensified after Soltau-Mutebi said she was introduced to promoter Cassandra Johnson, who operates under Epic League Events and Reggae Fest. The expectation, she said, was that they would collaborate on Kartel’s U.S. business strategy. Instead, the lawsuit alleged that Johnson eventually acted independently and organized events without the company’s approval.

Among the events mentioned were Kartel’s first U.S. concerts in over two decades, held at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on April 11 and 12, 2025. Soltau-Mutebi claimed those shows were arranged without her company’s consent or compensation, although court filings indicated the dispute over those concerts was eventually settled and payment was made.

The complaint further alleged that additional performances—including shows in Atlanta, Atlantic City, and Baltimore during 2025—were also organized without proper authorization. Soltau-Mutebi maintained that Kartel participated in those arrangements despite her company’s claim to exclusive promotional rights under the visa-related agreement.

She also accused Johnson of making defamatory statements to venue operators and industry contacts, claiming they were told that Soltau-Mutebi’s company was attempting to jeopardize the artist’s immigration status.

The plaintiffs were seeking US$4 million in compensatory damages, an additional US$2 million in punitive damages, and profits from concerts they believed were held without authorization.

Despite those claims, the New York judge ultimately dismissed the case. Court documents did not specify the reason for the dismissal, and Kartel’s attorney declined to comment on the ruling.