Leaders of the Infamous BMF Sentenced to 30 years in Prison.
Leaders of the infamous Black Mafia Family (BMF) sentenced to 30 years in prison.
The BMF leaders were sentenced on Friday (9/12) to 30 years by U.S. District Judge Avern Cohn in Detroit for running a national drug empire.
The founders of the organization, brothers Terry Flenory, 38 of Los Angeles and Demetrius Flenory, 40, of Atlanta, both formerly of Detroit, were apprehended in October of 2005 and indicted under the Continuing Criminal Enterprise CCE) Law, which much like the RICO laws carry life sentences. In November 2007, the brothers pleaded guilty to operating a criminal enterprise responsible for the high volume distribution of cocaine throughout the U.S. from 1990 through 2005. According to reports the brothers pleaded guilty to avoid a life sentence and were hoping to get 20 years.
The brothers, who started as low level drug dealers in Detroit in the early 1990s, secured international drug suppliers and expanded their criminal activities with networks across the U.S.. As they rose, they became more sophisticated and allegedly ran huge cocaine shipments across the country, using limos, RVs and other vehicles equipped with hidden compartments to transport cocaine and cash across the country. They were also involved in numerous money laundering activities including buying winning lotto tickets for cash and starting a record Hip Hop record label, which may have led to their eventual downfall.
The high-profile BMF case also named Hip Hop jeweler, Jacob 'Jacob The Jeweler' Arabov, 43, as a defendant, claiming he assisted members in money laundering schemes. Arabov was accused of accepting cash for jewelry from the Flenorys and failing to file the proper tax forms in an effort to conceal their drug proceeds. Arabov was sentenced in June to 2-1/2 years in prison and fined $50,000 for lying to federal agents about the true ownership of jewelry seized from the ring.
The BMF have been associated with many rappers, most notably, Young Jeezy and Fabolous. Earlier this year in the trial of BMF member, Fleming “Ill” Daniels, BMF turncoat Ralph “Ralphie” Simms testified in court that Jay “Young Jeezy” Jenkins received kilos of cocaine from BMF.
In connection with the BMF investigation authorities have seized more than 476 kilograms of cocaine and $5 million in cash, since 2000. Authorities said, members of the ring used drug proceeds to buy luxury cars, real estate and jewelry. They also purchased winning Michigan lottery tickets from the real winners to conceal the source of income.
Over 65 people have been indicted in the case. Most have pleaded guilty and half have been sentenced, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
The government has seized more than $19 million in assets from ring members, including 13 homes, 35 vehicles, over $5 million in cash, and millions of dollars worth of jewelry.
The BMF organization ran for many years unnoticed until they became involved in the Hip Hop scene by starting a record label. They appeared in numerous street DVDs, including The Raw Report, S.M.A.C.K., and The Come Up, boasting about their fortunes and extravagant lifestyles. The promotional parties hosted by BMF became legendary and they began erecting billboards claiming "The World is BMF's". All these activities put BMF in the spotlight of the authorities.
The record label BMF Entertainment, only had one artist, Bleu DaVinci, who was also indicted in October of 2007 and pleaded guilty to cocaine conspiracy charges earlier this year. The label was distributed through KOCH records and released a compilation album, ,"BMF Presents Bleu Da Vinci" in 2006. The album featured guest appearances by Yukmouth and Jackie O.
The beginning of the end for BMF seemed to be when Demetrius "Big Meech" Flenory was involved in a brazen 2003 shootout in the Buckhead, Atlanta that left two men dead, including Sean “Diddy” Combs’ bodyguard Anthony “Wolf” Jones.
In 2005, agents raided several key BMF operations in Georgia, Michigan, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, and California. Those raids resulted in over 150 indictments of BMF members or associates, effectively dismantling the drug empire.
According to authorities, these convictions of BMF’s top members end a 15 year investigation into the Black Mafia Family’s criminal enterprise.
At their height BMF's Flenory brothers are estimated to have controlled a cocaine empire worth $270 million.
VIDEO: BMF doing it at the club
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