RICO case Archives - New Hip Hop News

Hotboii’s Attorney Clarifies Confusion Over Hashtag That Was Mistaken For A Gang

September 19, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Hotboii was recently released from prison after a three-year RICO bid, and we now have some new details about how he achieved this freedom. Moreover, the Orlando Sentinel reported on Wednesday (September 18) about his lawyer Lyle Mazin and what he had to do in court to get his client out of his legal troubles and dismiss the matter. According to Mazin, the Florida rapper’s case centered around two main offenses. These are the use of electronic communication to promote gangs and possession of a firearm by a person with a conviction history.

For those unaware, authorities accused Hotboii of encouraging guns and gang-promoting lyrical content via Instagram, as well as of possessing a weapon in his vehicle. Allegedly, he led the 438 gang in Orlando, which fought up the Army gang allegedly fronted by 9lokknine. The “NASA” MC’s attorney Lyle Mazin argued in court that 438 is no gang, but rather just a social media hashtag to represent his Pine Hills neighborhood in Orlando. Mazin argued that even his client’s Instagram handle, @itshotboii438, and other posts including that number are just promoting his neighborhood and not any sort of criminal organization or activity.

Hotboii’s “9/11 (First Day Out)”: Stream & Watch The Music Video

“He wasn’t promoting a gang,” Mazin said of his client Hotboii. “He was promoting his label and his music. That’s what he was doing. It’s equivalent to Biggie Smalls, or to Kodak Black, or any major artist promoting their music.” In addition, he argued that his client’s security possessed the weapon in question to protect him from threats against his life allegedly pushed by the aforementioned rival gang. Due to these arguments and others, the court eventually dropped the RICO charges against the Blinded By Death artist, who pleaded guilty of one count of conspiracy as part of a deal with prosecutors.

Meanwhile, we’ll see what else Hotboii does this year to celebrate his freedom. He already dropped a “first day out” single with “9/11,” and we can only guess as to what his priorities look like. Maybe the “Throw In The Towel” creative just wants to lay low with his loved ones before planting his flag again.

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Young Thug Trial: Judge Ural Glanville Officially Recused From RICO Case

July 15, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Judge Ural Glanville has officially been recused from Young Thug and YSL’s ongoing RICO trial. Rachel Krause, the Fulton County Superior Court judge who oversaw the decision, argued Glanville’s recusal is necessary to preserve “the public’s confidence in the judicial system.” The move comes after the rapper’s lawyer, Brian Steel, filed a motion to have him taken off the case due to a controversial ex-parte meeting between himself, the prosecution, and star witness Kenneth Copeland. When Steele learned of the meeting and became livid in the courtroom, Glanville held him in contempt of court.

“Judge Glanville, lawyer Love and lawyer Hylton have prejudiced and tainted Mr. Williams’ trial so deeply as Judge Glanville has not acted as a Judge but morphed into an essential part of the prosecution team,” the defense wrote in its motion. They further described the judge as having had a “secret” meeting with Copeland.

Young Thug’s Legal Team Arrives At Court

Brian Steel, attorney for rapper Young Thug, arrives at the Fulton County Courthouse on November 27, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. Opening statements are set to begin in the case against 31 year old US rapper Young Thug and 28 others, who are facing a racketeering indictment accusing the defendants of a number of offenses that support an overarching conspiracy charge, including murder, assault, carjacking, drug dealing, and theft. (Photo by Christian Monterrosa / AFP) (Photo by CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA/AFP via Getty Images)

Despite the defense’s anger about the ex-parte meeting, it’s not what directly caused Glanville’s recusal. In fact, Krause noted in the order that she agreed with Glanville about there being nothing inappropriate about the meeting. However, she says the way he handled the backlash to the situation and his initial denial of motions to recuse has caused the public to lose confidence in his handling of the trial.

Judge Ural Glanville Recused From Young Thug Trial

Worth noting that in her order, Judge Krause agrees with Glanville that nothing about the ex parte meeting was inappropriate. She granted the motions to recuse due to the way he denied the motions to recuse and out of necessity to preserve public confidence in the judiciary pic.twitter.com/2erpFUiDkG

— THUGGERDAILY ひ (@ThuggerDaily) July 15, 2024

It’s unclear when the court will reassign the case to a new judge. Be on the lookout for further updates on Young Thug and the rest of the YSL trial on HotNewHipHop.

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Star Brim Sentenced For RICO Charges: What We Know About Her Conviction

March 18, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Best known for being close friends with Cardi B, Star Brim was arrested in 2020 alongside 17 other persons in a RICO case for her involvement with the NYC gang, 59 Brims. Born Yonette Respass, Brim wasn’t immediately arrested because she was pregnant at the time. Now, her sentence has been announced and she is set to go to prison this year. Here’s everything you need to know about her conviction.

Why Was Star Brim Sentenced?

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Star Brim was arrested alongside 17 other people for gang activity with the 59 Brims gang, a subset of the NYC Bloods. Prosecutors described Brim as the highest-ranking female member of the gang. Moreover, she was referred to as the Godmother of the gang. The District Attorney’s office released an official statement considering the case. Specifically, the RICO charges against Star Brim include racketeering and ordering a slashing. Other members of the 59 Brims have been charged with more crimes including. two murder charges and five attempted murders.

The Initial Plea For “No Prison Time”

Despite the RICO charges, Star Brim and her legal team initially pleaded with the judge to take prison off the table. The claims were that she had changed her life around, especially following the birth of her child in 2020. Many other cases of her improved behavior were presented. Most notably, Star’s relationship with Cardi B was also cited as proof of Star’s rehabilitated lifestyle.

“Although Star clearly has a long history of arrests, she is somewhat unique in that she has always worked at low-paying jobs and has always supported herself independent of gang activities,” her attorney claimed. “She has never succumbed to the expected trappings of gang life, she never used or sold drugs or consumed alcohol. Despite having virtually no formal education, she obtained a GED in 2012. [She] has worked at a series of low-paying jobs since 2007. Since the birth of her child in early March 2020, Star has completely changed her life around… Her Instagram presence grew tremendously because of her friendship with Belcalis Almanzar, better known as Cardi B. Throughout the years, Star has developed skin care products, advertised other products and became an ‘influencer.’ [That] has allowed her to earn additional income.”

How Long Will Star Brim Spend In Prison?

Cardi B’s friend Star Brim sentenced in RICO case pic.twitter.com/F25fdRuVIU

— HipHopDX (@HipHopDX) March 12, 2024

Unfortunately, following the RICO charges, Star Brim received a prison sentence of a year and a day. Additionally, the judge handed down three-year supervised probation once she has completed her time. The news of her sentence came after she finally pleaded guilty to the criminal charges brought against her through her involvement with the 59 Brims. Alongside her sentence, Star Brim will also be required to undergo an outpatient mental health program after her release. She will also pay an impact fee of $100. Finally, she must comply with routine drug testing.

Judge George B. Daniels sentenced Star Brim on March 7, 2024, and advised that she carry out her sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut. While the option of parole is not available in federal cases, prisoners with good behavior are entitled to up to 15% off their sentence. This means that Brim might be out sooner than expected. Her sentence begins on July 1, 2024.

Is Cardi B Involved?

While Cardi B and Star Brim share a close friendship, the former is not involved in the RICO charges. However, the “Money” rapper wasted no time in coming to her friend’s aid. According to Star, Cardi dropped a whopping $350k to assist her with legal fees. In a message to her haters, she shouted out the Grammy-winning femcee. “Shoutout to my lawyer,” she wrote. “And also shoutout to my friend that paid for my $350K for that lawyer… Yeah, I had a paid lawyer. Thank you to my friend, thank you Cardi. Shoutout to you, you feel me, shoutout to a real one.”

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Cardi B Dropped $350K On Her Best Friend’s RICO Case, Star Brim Reveals

March 17, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Earlier this month, Cardi B’s longtime friend Star Brim was handed a sentence in her RICO case after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to maiming and assault in aid of racketeering. The personality was given just over a year behind bars. After that, she’s been ordered to three years of supervised release.

She’s accused of being the “Godmother” of the 5-9 Brims, and was previously arrested in 2020. Star Brim was additionally accused of being involved in the alleged 2018 assault of two women at a Queens strip club. Early on, it had been believed that Cardi was also involved, though later reports revealed that Star Brim was the one who allegedly commissioned the hit.

Star Brim With A Message To Her Haters

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A post shared by The Neighborhood Talk (@theneighborhoodtalk)

This weekend, Star Brim took to social media to share a message to those criticizing her for the case and her sentence. “One thing I’m not going to do is let anybody on this internet, or anybody in real life, make me feel bad for getting less time while standing ten toes,” she explained. “Nobody’s going to ever make me feel bad about something like that. Ever. Like, I’m never going to feel bad about that.” She went on, slamming those who she says “want [her] to go to jail so bad.”

“Shoutout to my lawyer,” Star Brim also added. “And also shoutout to my friend that paid for my $350K for that lawyer… Yeah, I had a paid lawyer. Thank you to my friend, thank you Cardi. Shoutout to you, you feel me, shoutout to a real one.” What do you think of Star Brim’s recent message about her sentence? What about her revealing that her friend Cardi B helped her out by paying her lawyer fees? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

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Cardi B’s Friend Star Brim Sentenced In RICO Case

March 12, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Star Brim was previously arrested on RICO charges for allegedly strong involvement in gang activity, and Cardi B’s best friend just received her sentence for it. Moreover, she will serve one year and one day in prison, which will precede three years of supervised release. For those unaware, Brim pled guilty to criminal acts committed by the 5-9 Brims gang, an offshoot of the Bloods. Through the RICO Act, authorities charged her and 17 other individuals and alleged that she was deeply involved in most matters relating to the organization. For example, prosecutors called her the “Godmother” of the group that orchestrated various crimes such as fraud, assault, and much more.

Furthermore, the 5-9 Brims became a target for many law enforcement authorities in New York attempting to squash out gang-related crimes in the area. Cardi B’s colleague will not specifically undergo house arrest again, from what reports indicate. But Judge George B. Daniels did name a few ways in which Star Brim will not be able to return to her violent past or further gang-related plots. Strict orders will surface to not associate with the Bloods or any of its subdivisions, both in the online sense and in the physical sense by avoiding known Blood areas.

Star Brim, Cardi B & Company At VMAs After Party In 2019

Cardi B Friend Star Brim RICO Sentence Prison Hip Hop News — NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 26: Naturi Naughton, Regina King, Cardi B and Star Brim attend MTV VMAs, Pepsi & Monami Entertainment celebrate the Video Vanguard Award honoree Missy Elliott at her after-party celebration on August 26, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Shareif Ziyadat/WireImage/Getty Images)

In addition, the conditions behind Star Brim’s release indicate that she must fulfill an outpatient mental health treatment program and comply with routine drug testing. She must also pay a special assessment of $100 immediately in addition to her sentence and release terms. Regardless, Judge Daniels suggested Brim complete her sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut, and that her schedule of surrender will be before 2PM on July 1 of this year. It’s unclear whether she will maintain communication with the likes of Cardi B.

Meanwhile, this is not the only legal battle that Brim has been a part of over the past few years. Authorities also charged her over an alleged beat-down at a strip club a couple of years ago. We’ll see if this is the true end of the line for Star Brim’s involvement with the 5-9. For more news on her and the latest updates on Cardi B, come back to HNHH.

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Lil Baby Posts And Deletes Response To Young Thug’s Father

December 22, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Lil Baby has been very vocal as it pertains to the YSL Rico Case and Gunna’s involvement in all of it. Overall, everyone knows that Gunna was arrested alongside Young Thug back in May of 2022. However, Gunna was one of the defendants who was able to gain back their freedom. Moving forward, it doesn’t seem like Gunna will have any more legal issues pertaining to the case. That said, Thug remains behind bars, and his trial has been a bit of a mess. This has led to a lot of resentment towards Gunna, who some are claiming is a snitch.

Baby is one of the artists who believe Gunna snitched on Thugger. Despite there being evidence to the contrary, Lil Baby has been quick to denounce his friendship with his former collaborator. This has subsequently led to a response from Young Thug’s father, Jeffrey Williams Sr. In a recent interview, he told Baby that he needs to stop talking in regard to the situation as he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Williams has been a staunch defender of Gunna and claims there is no issue between him and Thugger.

Lil Baby Decides To Delete

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A post shared by DJ Akademiks (@akademiks)

In the Instagram post above, you can see that Baby actually responded to Young Thug’s dad. However, he decided to delete his comment almost immediately. Essentially, in response to being asked if he’s ever even shown up to a court date, Baby said “IYKYK.” This was the only thing that he had to say on the matter, although it proved too controversial for him to keep up. Whether or not he will speak on this again, remains to be seen.

With Young Thug’s trial set to resume next year, let us know what you think of the trial, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming releases.

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Meek Mill Weighs In On Young Thug’s Trial

December 12, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Meek Mill chimed in with his thoughts on Young Thug’s ongoing RICO trial on Twitter, Tuesday afternoon. In doing so, he argued that Thug and YFN Lucci’s lyrics shouldn’t be used against them in court. He explained that songs often have other writers who help come up with the lines.

“It should be impossible to charge thug and lucci for lyrics because in the studio we all give eachother lines and don’t remember who said what after a high night in the studio…. I have done it with both of them … they both gave me lyrics b4… we all do this!” Meek argued.

Young Thug & Meek Mill Link Up In Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 16: Meek Mill and Young Thug attend Remy Martin Presents – Young Thug Birthday And Album Release Celebration at Beauty & Essex on August 16, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for Remy Martin)

Meek’s tweet comes after Thug’s trial was postponed to 2024 as a result of his co-defendant being stabbed in prison. “Let me go ahead and tell you where we are,” Judge Ural Glanville told the jury on Tuesday. “Remember yesterday we recessed because one of our participants had a medical issues and I was telling you about that? Well, unfortunately, that medical condition still exists. Given the length of time that we will probably address that, it might be just more prudent to recess you. An early recess. Instead of recessing you this Friday as the Court’s plan was originally, I’m gonna recess you for the holidays, today.”

Meek Mill On Young Thug’s Ongoing Trial

It should be impossible to charge thug and lucci for lyrics because in the studio we all give eachother lines and don’t remember who said what after a high night in the studio…. I have done it with both of them … they both gave me lyrics b4… we all do this!

— MeekMill (@MeekMill) December 12, 2023

Thug’s trial will resume on January 2nd, according to Meghann Cuniff. Be on the lookout for further updates on Meek Mill as well as Young Thug’s trial on HotNewHipHop.

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Young Thug’s YSL Trial Postponed To 2024 After Co-Defendant Stabbing

December 12, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Young Thug’s ongoing YSL RICO trial has been delayed to 2024 after one of his co-defendants was stabbed in prison, earlier this week. Judge Ural Glanville made the announcement in court on Tuesday after putting the trial in a recess the day prior. Meghann Cuniff reports that the case will resume on January 2, 2024.

“Let me go ahead and tell you where we are,” Judge Glanville told the jury. “Remember yesterday we recessed because one of our participants had a medical issues and I was telling you about that? Well, unfortunately, that medical condition still exists. Given the length of time that we will probably address that, it might be just more prudent to recess you. An early recess. Instead of recessing you this Friday as the Court’s plan was originally, I’m gonna recess you for the holidays, today.”

Young Thug’s Legal Team Arrives In Court

Brian Steel, attorney for rapper Young Thug, right, arrives at the Fulton County Courthouse on November 27, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. Opening statements are set to begin in the case against 31 year old US rapper Young Thug and 28 others, who are facing a racketeering indictment accusing the defendants of a number of offenses that support an overarching conspiracy charge, including murder, assault, carjacking, drug dealing, and theft. (Photo by Christian MONTERROSA / AFP) (Photo by CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA/AFP via Getty Images)

The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office previously detailed the stabbing in a statement provided to XXL after the fact. “On the evening of Sunday, December 10, 2023, a fight occurred between Willie Brown and Shannon Jackson at the Rice Street Jail,” it reads. “During the fight, Jackson was stabbed multiple times by Brown. Jackson is in stable condition. Brown and Jackson were housed in the same zone. It is unknown what led to the fight. Willie Brown was initially arrested by the East Point Police Department for several charges on July 22, 2020 and was being held without bond. Jackson has been in custody since March 17, 2022.”

Young Thug’s Trial Postponed

Young Thug’s RICO trial is on hold until Jan. 2. This after his co-defendant Shannon Stillwell was stabbed in jail.

Judge Glanville told the jury yesterday there was a medical issue. Today he told them, “Unfortunately that medical issue still exists.” pic.twitter.com/LfYp2k5tp1

— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) December 12, 2023

Check out the announcement from Judge Glanville above. Be on the lookout for further updates on Young Thug’s trial on HotNewHipHop.

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Young Thug & YSL’s RICO Trial Will Accept Rap Lyrics As Evidence, Judge Decides

November 9, 2023 by newhiphopnews

It’s a crucial day for the RICO case against Young Thug and his YSL collective, as Judge Glanville made a pivotal decision in Fulton County on Thursday (November 9) according to WSB-TV’s Channel 2. Moreover, he ruled that prosecutors will be able to use rap lyrics as evidence against Young Stoner Life in court during this trial’s proceedings. However, the judge clarified that this is a conditional admittance for attorneys, as they must still lay a foundation in order to justify their use of any of these seventeen sets of lyrics. While this is a promising caveat, it’s also a very vague one, which puts these artists’ right to free artistic speech in jeopardy.

Brian Steel, Young Thug’s attorney, argued as much, vehemently opposing the use of these lyrics. On the other hand, the prosecution believes that the connective tissue between them and real crimes they indicted these individuals with is too great to ignore. “Your honor, someone can look at that indictment and say one thing’s for sure: that’s not fantasy,” prosecutor Mike Carlson expressed in court. “People are dead and murdered and a gang exists.” Now, it seems like it’s up to Glanville to determine their worth, as well as the recently seated jury.

Young Thug Performing In 2021

Young Thug YSL RICO Case Rap Lyrics Evidence Hip Hop News — ATLANTA, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 17: Rapper Young Thug performs at halftime during the Boston Celtics v Atlanta Hawks game at State Farm Arena on November 17, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

What’s more is that this is an interesting point on the prosecution’s board that comes just days after they had one taken off. Furthermore, Judge Glanville expressed disappointment in these attorneys withholding evidence and their general plan for the court. As such, it looks like Young Thug and YSL’s fate still hasn’t sealed, and it will likely be a very complex case to navigate. Still, the ruling on these lyrics is understandably disappointing: in an industry where artists are pushed to present the worst and most profitable version of themselves in exploitative ways that glorify violence and struggle, taking this collective’s success away due to the artistry they express and have been rewarded for expressing is an egregiously unfair and inhumane double standard.

Meanwhile, that’s not to say that we should ignore actual evidence of crime in the face of this battle. But this is something that will deeply affect not just this trial, but many more rap cases to come. As such, we’ll see if this injustice is what ends up sinking the ship, or if the system can’t find enough evidence to lock them up. On that note, log back into HNHH for the latest news and updates on Young Thug and the YSL RICO case.

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Young Thug & YSL RICO Trial Prosecutors Tracked Possible Juror For Weeks: Report

October 19, 2023 by newhiphopnews

The already slow-moving jury selection process in Young Thug and YSL’s RICO case changed in a pretty significant way this week. Moreover, Fulton County prosecutors- according to AllHipHop– reportedly admitted to following a potential juror in the trial for weeks. Specifically, they motioned for Judge Ural Glanville to dismiss the individual after weeks of surveillance on behalf of these attorneys, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Furthermore, their claims include that the male juror in question does not actually live in Fulton County, Georgia, but rather a Cobb County apartment, another Georgia area. For what it’s worth, he insisted that he lives mostly with his mother in Fulton County during jury selection procedures.

Of course, this surveillance process meant that the prosecution could counter these claims in the YSL RICO trial. As such, they alleged that the potential juror spent 28 out of 30 nights in his Cobb County apartment, and license plate readers claim he was never near his mother’s home when in Fulton County. According to these reports, the legal defense team expressed shock at the admission of this tracking. “I think it is improper,” Suri Chadha Jimenez, an attorney on the defense team, remarked to AJC. “It’s not right to do this to citizens who are not criminals. They’re surveilling people who are doing their civic duty by showing up to jury service. He did nothing wrong.”

Young Thug Performing In 2021

Young Thug YSL RICO Trial Prosecutors Surveillance Juror Hip Hop News — ATLANTA, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 17: Rapper Young Thug performs at halftime during the Boston Celtics v Atlanta Hawks game at State Farm Arena on November 17, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

Regardless of these qualms, prosecutors stood by their decision in the YSL case. For example, a Fulton County District Attorney explained that a juror outside of Fulton County would result in an overturned verdict. “As is permitted by law, we review public records of jurors to ensure they are eligible to serve on a jury, particularly in major cases,” they noted. “Our review of this juror’s public information indicates that he lives in Cobb County, making it illegal for him to serve on a Fulton County jury. A further review confirmed he is ineligible. At no time did anyone from the DA’s office have contact with the juror.”

Meanwhile, all this deliberation and extra steps to judge jurors did not result in a speedier selection. After all, Thugger still needs people on his jury for the trial to finally get in motion. Even then, it could be a very long process, so we’ll keep you posted on the latest updates in this case. For more news on Young Thug and YSL, come back to HNHH.

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