Twenty-six suspects, all alleged members of the Drug Rich Gang, have been indicted in connection to a series of high-profile robberies carried out at the homes of celebrities across the metropolitan Atlanta area.
On Monday, Aug. 29, Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis announced that her office had formally brought Racketeer Influenced, and Corrupt Organizations Act charges against 26 alleged gang members. The individuals are accused of using social media to target their victims — including Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Mariah Carey and “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Marlo Hampton as well as non-celebrities.
Willis and her office brought down this group using social media, a tool that has become widely useful to authorities. Crimes included attempted murder, home invasion, kidnapping, burglary, aggravated assault, theft by receiving, terroristic threats, false imprisonment and more over 16 different incidents since 2017, a 220-page indictment revealed.
Prosecutors said the gang has targeted at least six homes in 2022, including that of a high-profile Instagram influencer on March 27, Carey’s Sandy Springs home on June 27, and Hampton’s home on July 1. Members of Drug Rich reportedly have been operating primarily out of DeKalb County and are a hybrid Crips-Bloods gang.
“Where it is kinda fun to put your things on social media and show it off, unfortunately, these gangs have become more sophisticated, more savvy in how they target victims,” Willis said in a press conference on Aug. 29. “But as they’ve gotten more savvy, so have we.”
Reports also stated that part of the evidence against the gang included lyrics from songs they posted on social media.
Willis read off the phrases, “me and my crew out striking in all black,” “send me the drop, we’ll kick in the house,” and “if we steal a car, we gonna take off the tag,” which the DA said were proof of an overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy.
Willis sent a clear message to those who may be thinking of committing crime in the county during her statement: “If you thought Fulton was a good county to bring your crime to, to bring your violence to, you were wrong.”
