LOS ANGELES – A Grammy Award-winning Chicago rapper has been arrested on a federal legal criticism alleging he conspired with others to homicide a rival rapper, leading to a taking pictures and homicide that happened at a gasoline station close to the Beverly Heart shopping center in Los Angeles in August 2022 – an assault that resulted in a member of the family of the rival being shot and killed, the Justice Division introduced at the moment.

Durk Banks, 32, a.ok.a. “Lil Durk,” was arrested close to Miami Worldwide Airport late Thursday on a criticism charging him with conspiracy to make use of interstate amenities to commit murder-for-hire leading to demise.   

He made his preliminary look this afternoon in United States District Courtroom for the Southern District of Florida and stays in federal custody. His arraignment is predicted to happen in Los Angeles federal court docket within the coming weeks.

“Mr. Banks is charged with orchestrating a cold-blooded homicide that resulted within the demise of a rival’s member of the family,” stated United States Lawyer Martin Estrada. “Not solely that, the taking pictures occurred within the open, at a gasoline station at a busy intersection, endangering many others within the space. Violent gun crime of this type is devastating to our neighborhood and we may have zero-tolerance for individuals who perpetrate such callous acts of violence.” 

“The apprehension of Mr. Banks as he tried to depart the US is as soon as once more proof that the FBI and our extraordinary companions on the Los Angeles Police Division have an extended attain” stated Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Cost of the FBI Los Angeles Subject Workplace. “No excuse can justify this violent act and let me be clear: When you’re going about your life, considering you ‘bought away with it,’ the FBI is piecing collectively the info that can function your undoing.”

“Circumstances like these that span a number of states and jurisdictions are difficult and might oftentimes solely be resolved via the collaboration of a number of departments,” stated Los Angeles Police Chief Dominic Choi. “This arrest is the end result of the mixed efforts of our companions within the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace, the FBI, and LAPD’s Operation West Bureau Murder detectives who found that Durk D a.ok.a. Lil Durk was concerned on this heinous homicide. The a whole lot of hours spent on the investigation included surveillance, authoring quite a few search warrants, utilizing forensic expertise, and tireless investigative journey and collaboration alongside our federal companions led to this arrest. I’m appreciative of the dedication of these concerned.”

In response to the criticism filed Thursday evening, Banks is the chief of the Chicago-based rap collective generally known as “Solely the Household” or “OTF.” Regulation enforcement believes OTF additionally acts as a bunch of people who have interaction in violence – together with homicide and assault – at Banks’ path and to take care of their standing in OTF.

Banks feuded with a sufferer, recognized in court docket paperwork as “T.B.” The feud stemmed from a November 6, 2020, homicide during which an affiliate of T.B. shot and killed an OTF rapper named Dayvon Bennett, a.ok.a. “King Von.” Bennett and Banks have been shut buddies. 

In response to Bennett’s homicide, Banks allegedly put a bounty on T.B.’s life.

On August 19, 2022, a number of OTF members and associates used two autos and labored in tandem to trace, stalk, and try and homicide T.B. for hours, culminating in a taking pictures at a gasoline station positioned close to the Beverly Heart mall. The co-conspirators fired no less than 18 rounds at T.B.’s car, putting and killing a sufferer recognized in court docket paperwork as “S.R.,” who was T.B.’s member of the family who had been touring with T.B.

Banks allegedly ordered T.B.’s homicide and the hitmen used cash from Banks and OTF-related funds to hold out the hit. Financial institution and flight data present that an OTF member and shut affiliate of Banks coordinated and paid for 5 co-conspirators to journey from Chicago to California on the day earlier than the homicide. Across the time the one-way flights have been bought, Banks informed the OTF affiliate reserving the flights, “Don’t e book no flights below no names concerned wit [sic] me.”

The identical day the hitmen traveled from Chicago to California, Banks additionally traveled to California in a non-public jet with one other conspirator, Kavon London Grant, 28, a.ok.a. “Cuz” and “Vonnie.” Later that day, Grant allegedly bought ski masks for the shooters to make use of to commit the homicide and paid – utilizing a bank card in Banks’ identify – for the opposite co-conspirators’ lodge room.

On Thursday morning, federal and native regulation enforcement within the Chicago space arrested Grant and 4 different defendants charged in a four-count federal grand jury indictment alleging their roles within the murder-for-hire plot. After regulation enforcement made the arrests and executed search warrants in Chicago, the FBI realized that Banks had been booked on three worldwide flights scheduled to depart the US on Thursday. When banks arrived close to one of many departing airports – in Miami, particularly – regulation enforcement personnel arrested him.

In extra to Grant, the defendants charged within the separate indictment, which a grand jury returned on October 17, are:

• Deandre Dontrell Wilson, 33, a.ok.a. “DeDe,” of Chicago;
• Keith Jones, 33, a.ok.a. “Flacka,” of Gary, Indiana;
• David Brian Lindsey, 33, a.ok.a. “Browneyez,” of Addison, Illinois; and
• Asa Houston, 36, a.ok.a. “Boogie,” of Chicago.

These 4 defendants together with Grant are charged with one rely of conspiracy, one rely of use of interstate amenities to commit murder-for-hire leading to demise, and one rely of utilizing, carrying and discharging firearms and a machine gun and possession of such firearms in furtherance of a criminal offense of violence leading to demise. Jones faces and extra rely of possession of a machine gun.

These defendants made their preliminary appearances on Thursday within the Northern District of Illinois and are anticipated to be arraigned in United States District Courtroom in downtown Los Angeles within the coming weeks. 

A criticism and indictment include allegations {that a} defendant has dedicated a criminal offense. Each defendant is presumed to be harmless till and until confirmed responsible in court docket.

If convicted, Banks and the 5 defendants charged within the separate indictment every would face a statutory most sentence of life in federal jail.

The FBI and the Los Angeles Police Division are investigating this matter. 

Assistant United States Attorneys Ian V. Yanniello of the Basic Crimes Part and Daniel H. Weiner of the Worldwide Narcotics, Cash Laundering, and Racketeering Part are prosecuting this case.