NAYZE MEDIA 12/10/2020 3:00pm(est)
(Opinion) by Kareem Rahman
I really don’t keep heavy track of this type of stuff, but this is about the 3rd or 4th time I’ve heard people blaming Vlad TV for a rapper getting caught up with the Feds, so I figured I’d add my little two cents to the conversation.
The latest, is New York rapper Casanova, who has found himself being named as a co-defendant, in what looks to me like a vicious R.I.C.O indictment. To make a long story short, a R.I.C.O indictment is the type of case the feds make when they’re trying to prove that a bunch of people did some shit together in order to further their illegal activities. The tricky thing about this, is that this type of case becomes one of those “if he did it, you did it” type of things. Even if you weren’t present when the person who committed the crime actually committed the joint. You know what I’m saying? No? Here’s an example: If we’re both charged on a R.I.C.O indictment for carrying on a Continuing Criminal Enterprise, we’re in this shit together…….according to the feds. So, if you sell a person a kilo of cocaine in New York on Tuesday October 7th, of the year 1776, guess who else gets charged with that crime even though they were hundreds of miles away from New York at the time of said crime, out in California somewhere, throwing money at strippers on Tuesday October 7th of the year 1776?
Crazy right? R.I.C.O became popular after the feds used it to take down the “Tefflon Don”, John Gotti, in the 1990’s. Gotti is still one of the only people in history to beat and embarrass the feds on multiple occasions. The key to Gotti’s success, was to never be caught with any actual evidence of him doing a crime, and more importantly…….no witnesses to testify against him! The feds got tired of that shit. And wham! R.I.C.O. Suddenly, a case against Gotti includes multiple co-defendants. Some who were “somebodies”, and some who were “nobodies.” The point is, the more people you charge in this R.I.C.O indictment, the more chance you have of someone flipping. Get it? No? Well, here’s an example: You worked for John Gotti for two years, serving drinks at his bar. During that time, there were a few occasions when Gotti asked you to give “such and such” an envelope when he came to the bar later on. Every time Gotti gave you an envelope to pass off, he gave you $100 for doing him that favor. This is all of the business you ever had with John Gotti outside of serving drinks at his bar….which is completely legal. When the feds charge Gotti with the R.I.C.O, they put you down as a co-defendant, because you were part of the Continuing Criminal Enterprise. Your stupid ass didn’t even know what was in the envelopes! Now Gotti is looking at 40 – life in prison for drug distribution, extortion, murder, racketeering, and a host of other shit. BUT SO ARE YOU! How? You ask. I never sold any drugs or killed anyone. Well, you were (knowingly, or unknowingly) a go-between for Gotti and his cohorts. This places you smack dab in the middle of this shit. But there’s no way they can give me 40-years for this. That’s what you’re saying right? And that’s likely what you will say when the feds ask you to cooperate. You say fuck no. But, little do you know, is that all the feds have to prove is that Gotti was the boss of a group, or gang, and that you took part in that shit. Any part. Which you did. (knowingly or unknowingly) The one thing that’s certain, is that you knew who Gotti was, and that he was into some illegal shit. That’s enough to get you the same time Gotti got. You didn’t think Sammy “The Bull” snitched because he was some type of weak ass pussy, did you? That R.I.C.O shit is deep, and most people have no clue how deep that shit is.
This is why I agree with SOME of what Charlamagne said. Interviews on Vlad TV or any other platform are likely not enough to run a five to ten year R.I.C.O investigation on anyone. Does running your mouth in a radio interview hurt you? Maybe. But it’s far from the only thing that built the federal R.I.C.O case against you. You need rock solid shit. Like arrest records, people who you’ve sold drugs to who are willing to testify against you, people you robbed who are willing to testify against you, hell, even the chick you purchased a bunch of shit for with cash money can help convict you more than a radio interview probably can. She ain’t tryna do 20-years in the bing just because you brought her some shit with your illegal proceeds. That chick got kids! Why wouldn’t she tell the feds everything she knows to keep herself out of prison? I think a lot of people has this federal thing twisted. I know the cool thing to do today is accuse everyone who does anything suspect of being a snitch. But, that might just be because you have no idea what you’re talking about. And if a rapper is so concerned about this person or that person being “the feds” there’s a simple solution. Stop doing radio interviews, or stop bragging about doing crime in your interviews and music. Feds use that too you know? So who you gonna say snitched on you when the feds start playing that song you made in the courtroom?
Let me know what you think!
Video courtesy: The Breakfast Club Power 105.1 fm/Youtube
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