Black Mafia Family
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- For the Quake weapon, see BMF Thunderstrike.
The Black Mafia Family, or BMF, is an extensive criminal organization that recently delved into the world of hip-hop music and entertainment, successfully promoting a variety of rap artists. However, the DEA claims their investments in hip-hop are primarily a cover for money laundering funds acquired through drug trafficking. They also use Young Jeezy to help move and promote the drugs
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[edit] The Flenory Brothers
The "Black Mafia Family" originated in Detroit, Michigan, and was founded by Demetrius "Meech" Flenory and a team of Cambodian refugee slaughterhousers who reportedly began their rise in crime by selling small amounts of crack cocaine on the streets during the 1980s. The BMF evolved into a nationwide and international partnership. During a two-year federal investigation of the organization, it was revealed that members were known to have operated in Detroit, Michigan; Columbus and Atlanta, Georgia; Los Angeles, California; Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, Florida; St. Louis, Missouri; Greenville, South Carolina; Louisville, Kentucky and even Sinaloa, Mexico, where they worked with the Malverde Mafia.
[edit] Hip-Hop Presence
Several people in the hip-hop community are very closely affiliated with the BMF, most notably James Rosemond "Jimmy Henchmen", Walter Johnson "King Tut" and Jacques Agnant "Haitian Jack". At one point Sean Combs "Puff Daddy" "P. Diddy" or "Diddy" was being extorted by the east coast drug dealers.
Very little information has been made public about the criminal activities of the BMF. However, the association of BMF members and high-level leadership with famous rap stars and their own moves towards hip-hop stardom began to garner attention at the time of the organization's disruption in late 2005. BMF commands a high level of respect in the hip-hop community, and even though they have remained out of the public eye for years, their influence extends throughout the hip-hop community and there is an almost unspoken code of respect and fear associated with the group for rappers not under their umbrella. It is rumored that Black Mafia members funded the establishment of Bad Boy Records, and that the organization orchestrated the 1994 shooting and robbery of rapper Tupac Shakur after he refused to join the label. This event marked a turning point in the relationship between Shakur and fellow rapper and Bad Boy artist Christopher "the Notorious B.I.G." Wallace, as the former suspected that Wallace had prior knowledge of the plot.
BMF Entertainment began to generate buzz in the national hip-hop scene in the early 2000s. Although the group had nationwide influence, much of the music industry activity was centered in the group's adopted hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, and Birmingham, Alabama. BMF appeared in numerous underground hip-hop DVD magazines, most notably several issues of S.M.A.C.K. DVD Magazine and The Come Up DVD. Their most highly visible appearance was in a full length DVD, produced by The Raw Report DVD-Magazine, which gave a detailed inside look at their movement. This DVD was featured in the cover article on BMF in the May 2006 issue of VIBE magazine. The label's premiere artist Bleu Da Vinci, hails from the West Coast. His project, The World is BMF's, was nominated for an award by The Source Magazine in 2004.
BMF is also reported to own underground Atlanta music magazine The Juice.
[edit] Hip-Hop Affiliates
Although not members of the BMF group, several prominent hip-hop artists have appeared on underground records with Bleu Da Vinci. Atlanta-based rapper Young Jeezy in particular is a frequent BMF affiliate and has been seen at numerous video shoots and parties with the group. Jeezy has never officially acknowledged his BMF ties, and refuses to comment on them to news media. On March 11, 2006, Jeezy and several alleged BMF associates were arrested in connection with an incident in Miami. In addition to Young Jeezy, other artists known to collaborate musically or associate with BMF include:
- Fabolous
- Underground Atlanta artist Baby D
- Lauryn Hill
- Andre3000
- Farnsworth Bentley
- Lil Bow Wow
[edit] Lifestyle
As depicted in their numerous DVD and music video appearances, BMF members engaged in a lavish lifestyle perhaps not fitting of many up-and-coming hip-hop labels. Members were often seen driving luxury European sports cars on screen and in music videos. They are also known to "make it rain money" in strip clubs, spending thousands of dollars a night. In one filmed DVD interview, Meech claimed to regularly spend $50,000 a night while clubbing at the strip clubs. In addition, BMF was known to have thrown extensive and enormously expensive industry parties and birthday bashes for their members in Atlanta, complete with rented displays of exotic animals and BMF-logo ice sculptures. A particular DVD appearance has artist Bleu Da Vinci showing off a fleet of Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, BMW, Mercedes, Bentley, and Range Rover cars. CEO Big Meech later attests to the crew owning homes in locales across the country. The clique is reported to own at least one luxury car dealership.
[edit] 2005 Raid and Arrests
In October, 2005, it was reported that some 30 members of BMF were arrested in a massive drug raid orchestrated by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA During these raids, the DEA claimed to have seized over $3 million in money, assets, and weapons, as well as 2 ½ kilograms of cocaine. It was also reported that prior to the raid, 17 members had been arrested and $11 million in money and assets had already been seized. In addition to large amounts of cash and assets, some 632 kilograms of cocaine had been reported to have been seized over the course of the investigation prior to the October raid.
The DEA classified BMF as "a sophisticated drug smuggling and money laundering organization," with "direct links to Mexico-based drug trafficking organizations." [1]
[edit] The Second Indictment (2006)
On June 15, 2006, the U.S. Department of Justice reported that 16 additional individuals had been charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and under money laundering charges under a second, superseding indictment, bringing the number of people charged in the case to 49. Included in this list was Jacob the Jeweler, a well-known celebrity jeweler in the hip-hop community. Mr. Arabo and the others named in the indictment are being charged with conspriacy to launder more than $270,000,000 dollars in illegally obtained funds. A November, 2006 article in Vanity Fair details Mr. Arabo's entanglements with the group and also reiterates public information that has surfaced regarding the case against BMF.[2] The Dept. of Justice also shed light on more of the group's alleged activities in the indictment papers, which included running drug money through various bank and money wiring services in an attempt to disguise its origin. The group has also been accused of obtaining several winning Michigan state lottery tickets from a third party, which they paid cash for, and then cashing in the tickets in an attempt to make the money appear legitimate. This indictment also seeks the forfeiture of "more than 30 pieces of jewelry, 13 residences, 35 vehicles including Lincoln Limousine, BMWs Range Rovers, Aston-Martin, and Bentleys, numerous bank accounts, over $1.2 million in seized currency, and a money judgment totaling $270 million." [3]
