The Federal government in the US has published a 50 page document that for the first time sets out its case against The Inc boss Irv Gotti and his brother Chris Lorenzo. As previously reported, the Gottis were arrested at the start of the year over allegations they used Irv's Universal Music affiliated record company, The Inc (formerly Murder Inc), to launder money for notorious drug dealer Kenneth 'Supreme' McGriff.
The Feds issued the document which reveals aspects of their case against the brothers, due to go to court on 24 Oct, in a bid to stop the Gottis' lawyers from removing crucial evidence from the case - evidence seized from The Inc offices. Irv Gotti's lawyer Gerald Lefcourt tried to have that evidence set aside on the basis that the search of his client's offices had been unconstitutional. Lefcourt also called into question the evidence given by IRS criminal agent Franci Mace.
While the document produced by the prosecution responds primarily to Lefcourt's attempts to have evidence set aside, it also sets out other aspects of their case against the brothers. In particular it lists a string of evidence that shows that McGriff was not, as the Gottis claim, merely a casual acquaintance of Murder Inc. Prosecutors say they can prove McGriff spent a lot of time of The Inc's offices, that he regularly met associates there, that he had travel and accommodation booked and paid for by the label and that he reviewed business contracts on behalf of The Inc artist Ja Rule.
Of course none of that directly proves that Murder Inc was founded on and then laundered illegal drugs money from McGriff, but it suggests that the upcoming court case could be very interesting.