5 Black Celebrities Who Reportedly Took Side Jobs as Government Informants
July 7, 2014 | Posted by ABS Staff
Tagged With: al sharpton, Alfamega, Apollo Nida, Celebrity informants, Jimmy Henchman, Lil Cease
The Rev. Al Sharpton
https://sttpml.org/the-whistle-blower-andvs-the-snitch-an-evolving-essay/
http://jimcraven10.wordpress.com/2013/07/26/perp-walking-myself/
The Rev. Al Sharpton
Earlier this year, reports surfaced that activist and talk show host the Rev. Al Sharpton was once a paid informant for the FBI.
In April, The Smoking Gun reported that Sharpton, whose classified alias was “CI-7,” was heavily involved with the FBI in the 1980s. The report claims Sharpton’s association with the Genovese organized crime family included recording conversations that led to the arrests of several mob members such as Dominick “Baldy Dom” Canterino and soldier Federico “Fritzy” Giovanelli.
Sharpton has denied these claims. In an interview with The New York Daily News, he said that he contacted the police after receiving several threats from Joseph “Joe Bana” Buonanno and other members of the Gambino crime family. The activist said the threats were related to his attempts to create more jobs for African-Americans in the music business by watering down the mob’s influence in the industry. “If you’re a victim of a threat, you’re not an informant — you’re a victim trying to protect yourself,” Sharpton said.
Apollo Nida
In May, reports surfaced that reality TV star Apollo Nida had agreed to an informant deal with federal law enforcement officials that involved him taping his conversations with other criminal suspects.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta husband copped a plea to wire and bank fraud charges, and sources say under the terms of the deal he agreed to act in an “undercover investigative capacity” for the feds.
Nida was charged for reportedly stealing the identities of more than 50 people and laundering more than $2.3 million.
“I take full responsibility for my actions,” Nida told the judge. “It was a dumb situation I put myself in.” After leaving the courtroom, he said that he’s prepared for the hailstorm of negative comments sure to come his way. “TALK SH*T PEOPLE!! I’M EXPECTING ALL THE NEGATIVE COMMENTS,” he tweeted.
Lil’ Cease
In 2005, Junior M.A.F.I.A rapper Lil’ Cease reportedly worked with federal authorities and took the stand in rapper Lil’ Kim’s perjury trial. Kim’s charges stemmed from an incident where a shootout occurred between her entourage and Queens rapper Capone’s crew in front of New York’s Hot 97 radio station in February 2001.
According to reports, due in part to Cease’s testimony, Lil’ Kim was convicted of conspiracy and perjury for lying to investigators and was subsequently sentenced to one year in federal prison.
Lil’ Cease says he just didn’t have a choice but to take the stand because he had been subpoenaed by the federal authorities.
Cedric ‘Alfamega’ Zellers
Back in 2009, rapper T.I.’s former label signee Cedric “Alfamega” Zellers was released from Grand Hustle records after Smoking Gun released court documents revealing that the artist had previously informed on Atlanta heroin dealer Ali Baaqar.
According to a report from Smoking Gun, in 1995, Zellers was charged with a felony gun offense and worked as a Drug Enforcement Administration informant to build a case against Baaqar for a lesser sentence. Zellers’ testimony reportedly helped convict Baaqar of conspiracy to distribute heroin, and the rapper received an 18-month reduction on his sentence.
James ‘Jimmy Henchman’ Rosemond
In 2011, hip-hop businessman James “Jimmy Henchman” Rosemond was indicted on federal charges that accused him of running a $10 million-a-year drug ring. After he was arrested, according to authorities, he began giving them information in an attempt to get time off his inevitably lengthy sentence. Rosemond reportedly gave federal authorities details of his operation and admitted to prosecutors that the majority of his income was derived from his drug operation. He also reportedly told the authorities that he loaned artist and fellow Haitian Wyclef Jean drug money and sold the rapper’s driver several kilograms of dope. Rosemond even said he used Interscope Records offices, the place of his employment, for part of his drug operation.