![]() Another co-defendant, Susan Arreola-Martin, 72, received seven years, but only because she was charged with supplying fentanyl to her granddaughter, who overdosed and died, while she was out on pretrial release, according to authorities.Īs part of his plea agreement, Rashad admitted that he “directed a team of criminals who stole approximately $2 million from banks and lending institutions” just months after being released from prison in 2017, prosecutors said in a news release. In addition to Rashad, his brother and fellow rapper, Demarcus “Smurf” Hicks, 37, of Stockton, was sentenced to four years, records show. “His children are everything to him and having a second chance at life, he really wants to be there for him.” On holidays, he’s always there to bring joy to them and always brings them to see his mom and other relatives,” Bay Area recording artist Keldamuzik wrote in one support letter. “Kafani has always cared for his family and always talks about how much he loves his kids. Most of the victims lived in California, including several in the Bay Area, authorities said. Prather added that Rashad has a modest lifestyle, relies on a caretaker for basic needs and is not somebody who is “enjoying the trappings of a lavish or criminal lifestyle.” “Co-conspirators completed the conspiracy without Mark Hicks.” While Mark Hicks did use the internet to obtain personal information on individuals, obtain credit reports on those individuals, and call banks and vendors pretending to be some of those individuals, Mark Hicks did not ever leave his bedroom to carry out the actions of the conspiracy,” Edwin Prather, Rashad’s attorney, wrote in court records. “Because Mark Hicks is paralyzed from the chest down and is in a wheelchair, he is homebound and relies on others for everything. Rashad’s attorney wrote that another co-defendant was, in fact, the leader and that it would be “nonsensical” to paint Rashad as anything more than a regular participant. The money was often converted into gold bars and coins, then sold for cash. Rashad’s sentence is the longest of any of the defendants, and authorities say he played a leading role in a scheme to file loan applications in the names of unwilling wealthy people. ![]() Rashad is the last of six defendants to be sentenced, and a seventh person - whom authorities haven’t named - is a fugitive. District Judge James Donato, months after Rashad, 42, of Oakley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy in a multimillion dollar fraud and identity theft ring. ![]() The fact that he hasn’t appeared to suffer any major consequences, like losing sponsorship deals, suggests to me that anti-South Asian racism isn’t being taken as seriously as it should be.SAN FRANCISCO - A Bay Area rapper best known for his hits during the so-called Hyphy Movement has been sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison, court records show.Īmir Rashad, who goes by the stage name Kafani and is also known as Mark Hicks, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. KSI must go out and meet community leaders to understand the significance and hurt of his words. ![]() I couldn’t help but feel a degree of cynicism when I saw him announce a social media break – something that is not going to proactively help those he has offended. While his apology was a good first step it simply isn’t enough. This is apparent in the army of keyboard warriors I’ve already seen on social media trying to excuse his actions – that they are trying to defend the indefensible shows just how intense his fandom is. KSI should be setting a good example but instead seems to have promoted the normalisation of this racism to millions of impressionable young kids. While KSI’s apology was a good first step it simply isn’t enough You just have to watch videos of the carnage that unfolds when shops stock his new business venture, the energy drink Prime, to understand his impact.
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