Lil Durk pleads not guilty in 2022 murder-for-hire plot against rival rapper

Grammy award-winning rapper Lil Durk was charged on a date Allegation of murder-for-hire plot An incident targeting a rival rapper resulted in the death of the musician’s cousin.

Appearing in Los Angeles federal court on Thursday, the 32-year-old (real name Durk Davontay Banks) was arraigned on conspiracy, murder-for-hire and firearms charges. Durk pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

The charges he faces include one count of conspiracy, one count of murder-for-hire using interstate facilities resulting in death, and one count of “using, carrying, and shooting firearms and machine guns, as well as being in possession of such firearms.” “It is a crime of violence that results in death.”

If convicted, the maximum penalty is life imprisonment.

USA TODAY has reached out to Durk’s lawyers for comment.

Durk’s trial is scheduled to begin on January 7, 2025. Before that date, Durk is scheduled to hold a status conference on November 25 and a detention hearing on December 12.

Prosecutors claim Lil Durk would ‘reward’ enemies

According to a superseding grand jury indictment filed in California federal court on Nov. 7, prosecutors allege Durk had help in the murder plot from five co-conspirators who were allegedly affiliated with Banks’ hip-hop group Only the Family. A victim named in the court document as TB.

Prosecutors alleged that on Aug. 19, 2022, several of the co-conspirators flew to Southern California and tracked the tuberculosis to an alley behind a gas station in the Los Angeles area. They allegedly used firearms, including ones modified to operate as fully automatic machine guns, and opened fire on TB’s car.

During the conflict, TB’s relative SR, who was standing next to the vehicle, was killed.

Georgia rapper Quando Rondo (real name Tyquian Bowman) was reportedly the target of the conspiracy and his murdered cousin was Saviay’a Robinson, also known as Lul Pab. The shooting was in retaliation for the November 2020 killing of the Chicago rapper King VonProsecutors allege.

The indictment alleges that Durk “will place bounties on people he and other OTF members want to kill.” Alleged conspirators include Kavon London Grant, Deandre Dontrell Wilson, Keith Jones, David Brian Lindsey and Asa Houston.

On October 17, Durk was arrested near Miami International Airport for allegedly planning to board international flights.

Earlier this year, the rapper won best melodic rap performance for “All My Life” featuring J. Cole.

This article first appeared on USA TODAY: Lil Durk denies murder plot against Quando Rondo