DJ Envy has tried to make an appeal to the masses in hopes of proving that he has not been scamming people out of their money with his and his business partner Cesar Pina’s Flipping NJ venture.
Pina was charged on Oct. 16 with one count of wire fraud in an ongoing federal investigation into the alleged misuse of millions in business funds. The complaint, involving four properties, alleges he used the venture to scheme novice investors out of their money with contracts promising returns on the purchase, renovation and flipping of homes across New Jersey and other states.
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As stated in the filing, “Pina generally entered into contracts with the Victims that specified, among other things, the purpose of the investment, promised interest payments, and the timeframe for repayment. But rather than using the Victims’ investments as promised, Pina engaged in a Ponzi-like scheme wherein he commingled Victim investors’ money and used new Victims’ investments to pay off prior investors and cover personal expenditures.”
Envy and Pina were involved in the enterprise from 2017 through the present day. “The Breakfast Club” co-host not only promoted Flipping NJ on the show, but also featured Pina as a guest to encourage the public to buy into their real estate seminars. “Together, they used [DJ Envy’s] celebrity to promote various real estate enterprises that Pina controlled,” reads the complaint.
Despite the Radio Hall of Fame inductee adamantly claiming that he has not committed any crimes, and that he had no knowledge of Pina’s alleged wrongdoings, social media users seemingly believe otherwise. In an effort to prove him as an accomplice, users have pulled receipts in the form of videos.
DJ Envy Who is the Fat Neega You always selling houses with?????
— Vada Fly (@Vada_Fly) October 23, 2023
😂😂😂😂 Naaaah They going to hell. pic.twitter.com/5bFJZyc1pu
Michael Blackson Inquires About Cesar Pina’s Role In the Business
In 2019, comedian Michael Blackson appeared on the syndicated radio show where he questioned DJ Envy about Pina’s role in the business. “Who’s that fat greasy n—ga that alway stands next to you?..This fat n—ga just stands in the back and don’t do nothing. You just do all the talking. What does he do? Does he build himself? Do he … what the f—k this fat n—ga do?” asked Blackson, as he roasted Pina.
Envy explained that his business partner “owns like 2,000 units of houses and stuff. We teach people how to invest in houses.” Comments on the clip included people saying that “Soooo many people called him out over the years” about the venture and that “Basically any interview from 2018 to now could have a real estate reference in it lol.”
Nothing about these 2 looked 1% Legal 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/KE7bpxYrFK
— Vada Fly (@Vada_Fly) October 23, 2023
DJ Envy and Pina’s Promo Video Raises Eyebrows
An attention-grabbing promotional video for Flipping NJ has users saying it was apparent that Pina was not to be trusted from the very beginning. In the clip, Envy has on a black skull cap, a hoodie and a jacket on what was described as the “coldest day of the year.” Pina seemed unbothered by the temperatures, as he had on an open jacket.
“I’m minding my business, Cesar calls me, ‘Envy, I got a great crib to go look at,’ ” said Envy as he and Pina stood inside the kitchen area of the home. Pina chimed, in saying the residence was a “grand slam,” and despite it being two degrees outside, “money has no temperature.”
The embattled investor then estimated that they could easily pocket $375,000 from flipping the home. One X user wrote, “He started out lying…where the gloves ? It probably wasn’t even cold… Caesar look warm to me. Scammers know they’ll lie quick.”
“I didn’t make any money” – DJ Envy
— Vada Fly (@Vada_Fly) October 23, 2023
Lock em up 😂😂😂😂😂 https://t.co/AbY7vk7LUJ pic.twitter.com/YQiv6bgrpm
DJ Envy Caught Red-Handed Collecting “Rent” Deposits
The radio personality claimed he never made any money from the alleged Ponzi scheme, but, yet again, video receipts have people questioning his story. A short clip of Envy, Pina, and two associates in an office space collecting their rent deposits appears to prove that the host was cashing in on owning real estate.
“First time picking up rent, and that’s what it’s all about,” said Envy as he held a handful of white envelopes. “When I tell you about creating generational wealth, that’s what it is. I picked up; this is some of my rent, he owes me some more…That’s what it’s about—teaching and learning how to do it. And that’s what we about, so I wanna see you guys at the next seminar,” added Envy.
I had a professor in grad school who told me and another girl in office hours “If you cannot explain it to a 5-year old or your grandmother, then you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
— Gabrielle A. Perry, MPH (@GeauxGabrielle) October 23, 2023
That is DJ Envy here. I know they playing this in court. https://t.co/s0u9ce1Cgy
Stand-Up Comic Yamaneika Saunders Calls Out DJ Envy’s Sketchy Gig
Envy was adamant about making it known that he does not sell houses when comedian Yamaneika Saunders expressed her desire for him to help her become a homeowner. She was perplexed when he stated that he was not in the business of selling homes. “Every time I see you doing something you flipping a house in New Jersey or some s—t like that,” she said. Even Charlamagne tha God seemed a bit thrown off as he quipped, “I thought you sold houses?”
“I buy houses, I fix them, and I rent ‘em out, “Envy explained. “I’m not a realtor. I’m trying to encourage people to buy homes to create generational wealth.” After some deducing of her own, Yamaneika flat out asked, “You a slum lord?” and if “the government” knows about his operation. When Envy doubled down on wanting to help people reach home ownership, she insisted that he stop “acting like you not making money!” and acknowledge that people were getting “got” by him.
Clip of DJ Envy Promoting a Seminar Raises Questions About His Involvement in the “Scheme”
Standing inside a home being renovated, Pina looked on as Envy gave viewers the scoop on what they could expect to learn at one of their flipping seminars. “This is what it’s all about. Finding a crib, demo, renovating, getting it together, and getting tenants in. And if you wanna know all about it, you gotta click our seminar.”
Pina would go on to point out two past attendees who tagged along to see “what we (Envy and Pina) do and how we doing it.” An X user suggested that Pina played his hand well by allowing the entertainer to be the business spokesperson. “He let Dj Envy do all the talking. Watch he get a lesser charge,” read that person’s comment.
Envy’s lawyer, Massimo D’Angelo, provided an update to XXL magazine on Tuesday, Oct. 24, claiming that the on-air personality was also a victim of Pina’s, for losing millions of dollars on their dealings. D’Angelo claims Envy will fully cooperate with authorities “to get his investment back, along with those of the other alleged victims.”
