Crime and Justice
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Business mogul and entertainer Sean Combs, widely known as Diddy, is facing a mountain of a lawsuit connected to alleged abuse and other accusations. A report went wide that the Bad Boy honcho was under criminal investigation but the NYPD shot down those claims.
TMZ initially reported that Diddy was the target of an investigation, which came on the heels of the mogul facing a lawsuit from his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, who claims that Combs allegedly raped her and engaged in human trafficking among other charges. It was reported as a “locked” investigation involving Sean Combs but it appears that was not the case.
The outlet returned to the report with an update that can be read in full below:
The full NYPD statement reads … “Yesterday, a member of the NYPD’s public information office erroneously told a reporter about the apparent existence of an active case file containing the name ‘Sean Combs.’ There is no such investigation, at present. Further, the release of such information is not consistent with the internal policies of the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Public Information. The NYPD always treats allegations of sexual assault and rape extremely seriously, and urges anyone who has been a victim to file a police report so that support and services can be offered to survivors and a comprehensive investigation can be conducted.”
Ventura filed her lawsuit in New York at the federal court level. A statement from Combs has yet to surface.
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L.A. Reid was named in a lawsuit from former music executive Drew Dixon, alleging that the former Epic Records sexually assaulted her during her time at Arista Records where Reid served as its chief executive. Dixon claims that she was assaulted twice by Reid back in 2001 and that he was a barrier to her ascension in the music business after rejecting his advances.
A report from Reuters published this past Wednesday (November 8) details that Drew Dixon filed the suit in Manhattan federal court and asked for unlisted compensation and damages. The suit was filed under New York state’s Adult Survivors Act which allowed Dixon to bypass statutes of limitations expiration dates and bring claims even if they occurred a time ago.
This is not the first time Dixon has addressed her alleged assault, doing so once before in 2017 shortly after Reid stepped down from Epic Records after allegations of unlawful behavior involving a woman who worked for the company surfaced.
Today, Dixon serves as a board member for New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music and was part of the documentary On The Record, highlighting the sexual misconduct allegations that continue to hound Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons.
Dixon, a former A&R for Def Jam Records, worked in the same role at Arista Records while helming the label during Clive Davis’ time. In 2000, Reid replaced Davis in the chief executive position.
The details of the assault, which might be disturbing to some, state that Reid allegedly assaulted her while on a private plane in 2001 and once more after an event in New York that same year.
Dixon left the music industry in 2002 and entered Harvard Business School.
In a statement delivered by her legal team, Dixon said that Redi’s “persistent campaign of sexual harassment and assault forced me to abandon the work I loved when I was at the top of my game in the music business.”
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The tragic death of PnB Rock last year led to the arrest of a father and son duo who planned the brazen daytime robbery and shooting and authorities are sharing a new development. In addition to the earlier arrests and charges, two other suspects have been charged in connection to the crime.
Rolling Stone reports that two new suspects have been charged for allegedly aiding the robbery and killing of PnB Rock. Rock, real name Rakim Allen, was dining inside a South Los Angeles Roscoe’s House of Chicken & Waffles with his girlfriend Stephanie Sibounheuang in September 2022.
Tremont Jones and Wynisha Evans were initially arrested back in May and their names were withheld from the public until the charges were filed later. Jones faces charges of two counts of robbery, conspiracy to rob the rapper and illegally possessing a firearm as a felon. Evans was charged with being an accessory after the fact.
The pair pleaded not guilty during their arraignment at the Compton Courthouse in September, according to Venusse Dunn, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Freddie Trone and his 17-year-old son, who is the alleged gunman, were arrested in connection to the meeting. Trone’s wife, Shauntel Trone, was also charged as an accessory after the fact.
There was heavy speculation that PnB Rock’s location was known to the suspects because Sibounheuang shared online where they were dining. That theory is being challenged by prosecutors as they move forward with the case.
All five of the named individuals have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
PnB Rock was 30 at the time of his death.
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DJ Envy found himself in the crosshairs of an ongoing investigation involving Cesar Pina and the FlippingNJ real estate business the pair often promoted via their respective channels. After the arrest of Cesar Pina last week, DJ Envy, through his representation, says he’ll cooperate with the authorities in supporting the investigation with information.
On Tuesday (October 24), Law & Crime reporter Meghann Cuniff, known for her coverage of the Megan Thee Stallion and Tory Lanez matter, took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share a statement from Envy’s attorney, Massimo D’Angelo. D’Angelo says that his client will be a willing partner with federal investigators as they continue to work the case.
From X:
I just got off the phone with DJ Envy’s lawyer, Massimo D’Angelo, who says Envy is one of Cesar Pina’s Ponzi scheme victims.
“Obviously, Envy is going to be assisting and cooperating fully” to get not only his money back, but money back for the other victims.
In the thread, Cuniff added, “D’Angelo says Envy invested $500K with Pina but “didn’t get any money back. He paid out substantial sums similar to some of the other investors who thought they were getting money back.”
Cuniff concluded the thread by writing, “D’Angelo wouldn’t tell me if Envy has testified before a grand jury, but he’s agreed to go on a YouTube live with me later this week. It’s going to be great! I’ll announce the day and time ASAP.”
Fans of Cuniff have been calling for her expert breakdowns of the DJ Envy and Cesar Pina case, and their requests have apparently been answered. Check out the X thread below.
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DJ Envy is still a free man as of this moment but it appears that the long arm of the law will be closing in on him soon, that is if the allegations of fraud are true. The longtime radio host and entrepreneur is facing a mountain of claims that DJ Envy and Cesar Pina swindled prospective homeowners out of millions in botched real estate deals.
Earlier this month, we shared details of a News 4 NY I-Team report that dug into the nuts and bolts of the alleged real estate fraud claims that DJ Envy and Cesar Pina are facing. Often on his popular morning radio program, The Breakfast Club, Envy would mention the promotion of his real estate partnership with Pina.
Beyond The Breakfast Club, Envy and Pina hit the road for seminars and public appearances promoting methods for others to join in on their real estate hauls and get into flipping houses for profit.
Last week, Pina was arrested and facing charges of wire fraud in connection to the FlippingNJ business that he allegedly operated with Env. Pina pleaded not guilty to the charges and is now free on a $1 million bond. He is required to wear an ankle monitor and cannot leave the state of New Jersey.
Given the explosive nature of the claims and the celebrity status of DJ Envy, it didn’t take long for Black Twitter (yes, we’re still calling it that) to get into the mess with their takes and reactions. Of course, the jokes are all over the place with some even realizing that the writing was on the wall based on some of Envy’s online moves.
Check out the reactions below.
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Pras Michel and his ongoing legal issues are far from nearing a solid conclusion after the Fugees rapper and entrepreneur requested a new trial via an explosive claim. According to a new report, Pras Michel claims his former attorney used artificial intelligence in his closing argument during the trial earlier this year that ended in the Haitian-American’s conviction.
As Politico reported, Pras Michel, who was convicted in April on several charges including witness tampering, acting as an unregistered foreign agent for China, and conspiracy, alleges that his former defense team used AI to create his closing argument in that earlier trial.
From Politico:
In a withering motion filed Monday night with a federal judge in Washington, Michel’s new attorneys argued that his Los Angeles-based lawyer David Kenner relied on the fledgling technology at critical points in Michel’s trial, contributing to “prejudicial ineffective assistance of counsel.”
Kenner “used an experimental artificial intelligence (AI) program to draft the closing argument, ignoring the best arguments and conflating the charged schemes, and he then publicly boasted that the AI program ‘turned hours or days of legal work into seconds,’” Michel’s new defense team from D.C.-based ArentFox Schiff wrote. “It is now apparent that Kenner and his co-counsel appear to have had an undisclosed financial stake in the AI program, and they experimented with it during Michel’s trial so they could issue a press release afterward promoting the program — a clear conflict of interest.”
A former publicist for Michel added that Kenner allegedly admitted that “AI wrote our closing,” which former federal prosecutor Peter Zeidenberg shared in a declaration that went with the current defense team’s motion.
Pras Michel joined his Fugees bandmates on Tuesday (October 17) for the start of a reunion tour in support of the 25th anniversary of Lauryn Hill’s acclaimed solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.
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Rep. George Santos was hit with 10 new charges in addition to a series of charges he faced back in May. The new charges for the New York congressman are all felonies with statements regarding the matter going wide on Tuesday (October 10).
As reported by NPR, Rep. George Santos faces 10 charges that range from conspiracy, wire fraud, false statements, and identity theft among other charges. Back in May, Santos faced a 13-count indictment. Just under a week ago, Santos’ campaign treasurer Nancy Marks pleaded guilty to felony charges and faces up to five years in prison.
The new charges were unveiled by the office of the U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of New York where prosecutors state that Santos orchestrated a credit card fraud ploy by using credit card information from his donors list.
“As alleged, Santos is charged with stealing people’s identities and making charges on his own donors’ credit cards without their authorization, lying to the FEC and, by extension, the public about the financial state of his campaign.” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace shared in a statement Tuesday.
More from the office of the U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of New York:
“Santos allegedly led multiple additional fraudulent criminal schemes, lying to the American public in the process. The FBI is committed to upholding the laws of our electoral process. Anyone who attempts to violate the law as part of a political campaign will face punishment in the criminal justice system,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith.
“The defendant – a Congressman – allegedly stole the identities of family members and used the credit card information of political contributors to fraudulently inflate his campaign coffers,” stated District Attorney Donnelly. “We thank our partners in the US Attorney’s Office and the FBI as we work together to root out public corruption on Long Island.”
Rep. George Santos still maintains his elected seat for now but is no longer assigned to any committees in the House chamber. He is due in court on October 27 after pleading not guilty previously back in May and intends to run for reelection.
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Jada Pinkett Smith and her connection to the late 2Pac has been well documented over the years dating back to their time as high school students in Baltimore, Md. After a man was arrested in connection to the murder of the popular rapper, Pinkett Smith has since spoken out.
Jada Pinkett Smith, 52, and Tupac Shakur were classmates at the Baltimore School for the Arts and she has shared previous factoids about their early days before their respective careers took off. With the arrest of Duane “Keefe D” Davis, Pinkett Smith shared a message to her followers by way of her Instagram story feed.
“Now I hope we can get some answers and have some closure. R.I.P. Pac, Pinkett Smith wrote along with the image of a dove.
Just prior to the arrest of Keefe D, Pinkett Smith shared an older video of her and 2Pac dancing and lip-synching to DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s “Parents Just Don’t Understand” track. Of course, Pinkett Smith would go on to eventually marry the Fresh Prince, better known as Will Smith, and are the parents of children Jaden and Willow Smith.
Davis offered recent testimony that pointed to his role in the shocking drive-by shooting of 2Pac in Las Vegas.
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Rudy Acosta III, a former Chicago drug boss and record label chief, helped the authorities take down several key figures in a massive drug case. Because of his federal cooperation, Rudy Acosta III, known on the streets as King Rudy is essentially a free man after being given a yearlong prison sentence that will see him go free after time served.
Rudy Acosta III and his case were profiled by the Chicago Sun-Times, highlighting that Acosta was once the focus of a DEA investigation for moving large amounts of cocaine through the Chicago area via a connection with a Mexican cartel.
Acosta appeared at the Everett M. Dirksen U.S. Courthouse this past Tuesday (September 19) with Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Erskine speaking on his behalf and noting that Acosta was “one of the most prolific and successful cooperators with our office.”
U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman handed down a sentence to Acosta of a year and one day, which would be wiped away due to time already served. The judge also told Acosta that he may be relocated to a halfway house.
Some might recall Acosta’s King Rudy nickname from his time in establishing The Legion recording label, which found its footing in the mid-2000s.
Acosta’s cooperation led to 36 people being slapped with drug and public corruption charges. One of the most notable names was the late Illinois Sen. Martin Sandoval, who died in December 2020 after pleading guilty to corruption.
Acosta entered into a plea agreement, admitting to the fact that he distributed drugs across the city of Chicago while stating that he worked alongside drug suppliers out of Mexico. Over seven years, Acosta provided investigators with inside information to take down the three dozen individuals in the case.
DEA Special Agent Tom Asselborn spoke on behalf of Rudy Acosta III, saying that the former drug lord is completely rehabilitated and that he’s turned his life around.
Read the full breakdown here.
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Danelo Cavalcante, the escaped murderer who made a daring escape from a Pennsylvania prison, has been caught after a manhunt was launched to bring him back behind bars. Cavalcante was captured without incident by a massive tactical force of various law enforcement agencies, bringing to a close the chase after the convicted murderer who eluded authorities for weeks.
As reported by local outlet Fox 29, Danelo Cavalcante, 34, was found in Pottstown, Pa., a small town northwest of Philadelphia around 8 a.m. Wednesday (September 13). The manhunt for Cavalcante, a native of Brazil, began after he escaped Chester County Prison on August 31 by climbing a prison wall, then bypassing razor wire before jumping from a roof to the other side.
From the onset, Cavalcante found ways to evade the clutches of the authorities and managed to steal a van aiding in his escape. While the trail remained warm for officials seeking Cavalcante, he found ways to alter his appearance and survived by sleeping in nearby woods, breaking into homes to steal food, and even getting hold of a light firearm.
According to sources speaking to Fox 29, Cavalcante was found at a John Deere dealership in Pottstown with a .22-caliber rifle. According to the Associated Press, Cavalcante was found using thermal imaging which directed the authorities to his location. Reports say that Cavalcante was possibly bitten by a police dog in the hunt.
Earlier this year, Cavalcante was handed down a life sentence for the 2021 murder of his girlfriend, stabbing her to death in front of her children. Cavalcante was also sought by Brazilian authorities in connection to a shooting death.
On X, reactions from observers range from relief to some making light jokes about the fact that Danelo Cavalcante was caught wearing a Philadelphia Eagles jersey. We’ve got a handful of reactions from all sides below.
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