Kidnapping of Tekashi69 was staged to hype his next album, defense attorney says
New York, NY (77WABC)-Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. Monday announced indictment’s of five members of rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine’s private security team. The DA says the indictments stem from an incident in Harlem on Aug. 9th, 2020 in which a 34-year-old man and his girlfriend where chased through Harlem in SUVs with flashing lights and sirens. The DA’s office says the chase began after the 34-year-old man attempted to record Tekashi 6ix9ine on his cellphone.
The DA says all five defendants are charged in New York State Supreme Court with Robbery in the First Degree, Robbery in the Second Degree, and Criminal Impersonation in the First Degree. Included in the indictments is former NYPD Detective Daniel Laperuta. The 44-yearold is also charged with Falsely Reporting an Incident in the Third Degree for falsely claiming to NYPD officers and in a 911 call that the victim was threatening the defendants with a firearm.
Vance said “a celebrity entourage is not a police department, and Manhattan is not the Wild West.” He added, “as alleged, these highly-compensated vigilantes caravanned through the streets of Harlem with sirens flashing in order to track a man down and steal and break his phone. Along the way, a retired NYPD Detective tried to cover up their conduct by lying to his former colleagues and repeatedly claiming the victim had threatened to shoot them. False reports – especially about firearms – can carry devastating consequences and fortunately, no one was injured or killed in the actual police response.”
