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Murder Inc. CEO Irv Gotti To Be Hit With Racketeering Charges
01/26/2005 4:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
LAUNCH Radio Networks
Murder Inc. Records CEO Irv Gotti is expected to be hit with federal racketeering charges this week in connection with the two-year federal probe of his label and its affiliation with former drug kingpin Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff. New York's Daily News reports that Gotti will be charged with money laundering for allegedly allowing McGriff to launder drug proceeds through the label.
McGriff, who is currently serving a 37-month sentence on a federal firearms charge, is expected to be charged with ordering multiple hits, including the murder of rapper Eric "E-Money Bags" Smith. Two associates of McGriff have already been charged with Smith's murder. McGriff will also face racketeering charges.
In addition to Gotti and McGriff, seven others are expected to be charged by Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Roslynn Mauskopf.
Two arrests were made late last year including the arrest of Ja Rule's manager, Ron "Gutta" Robinson, who was arrested in November and charged with conspiracy to launder more than $1 million between 1997 and 2002.
Murder Inc.'s bookkeeper, Cynthia Brent, was also arrested in November and charged with two counts of money laundering. Brent is accused of conducting financial transactions that involved money she knew came from drugs.
Authorities are also preparing a civil forfeiture action against Murder Inc. Records which could result in the stripping of millions of dollars.
Gotti's lawyer, Gerald Lefcourt, told the paper, 'I will say what I have said before. Murder Inc. Records was started with legitimate money." According to Gotti, the label was provided $2 million in start-up cash from Def Jam Records.
The label's biggest stars, Ashanti and Ja Rule, are not expected to be charged in relation to the probe.
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