Tekashi6ix9ine’s security team has been indicted in New York and charged with robbery and impersonating a police officer. The charges stem from a 2020 incident in which the rapper’s guards used sirens to track down a fan who took a video of 69 and confiscate their phone. All five members of the team are facing charges of robbery in the First Degree, robbery in the Second Degree, and Criminal Impersonation in the First Degree.
Former NYPD detective Daniel Laperuta is facing additional charges for falsely reporting an incident after calling police reporting that the victim was unlawfully pointing a firearm at the group. According to the Manhattan District Attorney, Laperuta pulled out a retired NYPD member of service card, telling the officers on the scene that the victim threatened him and the team with a weapon after the victim tried to grab help from a marked police car. The retired detective then called 911 and filed a complaint, repeating the same tale.
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What allegedly really happened was a bullying scene. 69’s security reportedly cornered the victim’s car, surrounding them with their SUVs while in Harlem. After the victim forcibly pulled his car over, one of the bodyguards pulled the man out of his car and knocked his phone out of his hands before stomping on it. The victim then tried to recover his phone from a second security guard, wrestling with the guys before Laperuta walked up to the group showing his firearm. Another bodyguard aimed his taser at the victim. The group fled the scene after an unmarked police car approached the scene with flashing lights.
Manhattan DA, Cyrus Vance, responded to the situation saying, “a celebrity entourage is not a police department, and Manhattan is not the Wild West.” He continued, “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.”
