Gucci Mane was allegedly kidnapped and held at gunpoint by Pooh Shiesty, who forced the rap mogul to sign a document releasing him from his recording contract, according to federal prosecutors.
Pooh was of nine people charged on Thursday for executing a “coordinated armed takeover” of a Texas music studio, prosecutors said. They face sentences of up to life in prison.
According to the complaint, Pooh arranged a meeting in January with Gucci to discuss the terms of his recording contract. Once he was inside the studio, others in his group stormed the room, with one of the defendants barricading the door to prevent people from escaping. Pooh proceeded to brandish a pistol and demanded that Gucci release him from his contract.
Federal prosecutors said that victims were robbed of cash and jewelry, among other valuable items. One victim was choked until he was almost unconscious, the complaint alleged.
Hours after the operation, several of the defendants posted pictures on social media showing the allegedly stolen items, which include Rolex watches.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Texas, published the above photos and alleged “the defendants added posts on social media, displaying what appeared to be some of the stolen jewelry, depicted in the photographs from the complaint.”
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Texas
“Nine defendants travelled to Dallas, Texas, to kidnap and rob victims who thought they were coming into town for a business meeting,” said Ryan Raybould, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, in a statement. “Instead of discussing business in a civil matter, the defendants resorted to violence and intimidation to achieve their purported business objectives.”
Evidence incriminating the defendants include electronic monitoring data placing Pooh in the area of the alleged crime in violation of his house arrest, cell phone records and license plate reader data, rental car information, surveillance footage and fingerprints recovered from the studio. Pooh’s father, Lontrell Williams Sr., is accused of helping plan and execute the operation.
Eight of the nine defendants were arrested on Wednesday in Dallas and Memphis. They include rapper Big30.
Mane, whose real name is Radric Davis, wasn’t named by federal prosecutors, who identified one of the victims as R.D.
