After TMZ published exclusive images of rapper Cardi B and Nigerian goalkeeper Maduka Okoye dining together at Gio's restaurant at the St. Regis hotel in Venice, Italy, controversy ignited. In the video, both appear sitting next to each other, having an animated conversation without displays of public affection, accompanied by a group of friends.

This meeting occurred days after the two were seen together at Paris Fashion Week, where Okoye was captured helping Cardi B sit down, which sparked romance rumors on social media.

After the viral images of the singer and the soccer player, Jelicia Westhoff, Okoye's ex-partner and mother of his 3-year-old son, Isaiah Emil Jr., used her Instagram stories to launch harsh accusations against the 26-year-old soccer player, in publications that were later deleted.

“Imagine I kept my damn mouth shut, I lied about what YOU did to me, so you could continue YOUR career and all you do is embarrass us,” the model wrote.

Allegations of parental abandonment

Westhoff claims that Okoye does not take care of his only son, stating that he does not call or visit him because he is “too busy punishing his mother and behaving badly on social media.”

The most serious accusation involves the child's health. According to Westhoff, the child was hospitalized four times last December, including admissions to intensive care and transfers by ambulance. "His father didn't even come. What father doesn't go with his son when he is fighting for his life?" he questioned.

The model also claimed that Okoye was unfaithful to her during her relationships with men and women, and that she suffered physical abuse from the athlete. "You don't take care of your only son. Since I don't want to be with you, I will never forgive you," he said.

Speaking exclusively to Page Six, Westhoff clarified that he has “nothing against” the “WAP” rapper. “It's about you going out with any woman in public knowing that you are not taking care of your child,” he explained. The model added that her lawyers have been trying to contact Okoye for months without getting a response.

So far, the representatives of Maduka Okoye and Cardi B have not made any statement in this regard. It should be remembered that Cardi B, 33, recently ended her relationship with NFL player Stefon Diggs and is the mother of three children from her marriage to Offset.