Young Thug is currently fighting Fulton County prosecutors over millions of dollars worth of assets seized from his home, including luxury cars, clothing, and even jewelry owned by celebrity store Rafaello & Company.
The move comes ahead of a filing back in June by Rafaello & Company’s Attorney Manubir S. Arora, who claimed that his client Gabriel Jacobs, the owner of Rafaello & Company, is the “proper owner” of jewelry seized by the State of Georgia back in May when Young Thug was arrested.
The document filed in June this year says that “the State seized numerous pieces of jewelry. Specifically, much of the jewelry seized belonged to Rafaello & Company (a New York jewelry store that specializes in custom jewelry.” The filing did not state a dollar figure but said that the “property is of substantial monetary value.”
According to the attorney’s notice obtained by Urban Islandz, the company intended to file a separate lawsuit seeking a declaratory judgment so that Rafello & Company can minimize any losses that are incurred while they are unable to retrieve said jewelry without having to go through the extensive civil forfeiture process.
The company said that the jewelry’s ownership is not in dispute, hinting that it could prove that the jewelry was loaned out to Thug.
Documents filed by Young Thug’s lawyer Brian Steel outlined that authorities seized $149,426.00 in U.S. currency as well as firearms, vehicles, including a Corvette and a Porsche, and 87 pieces of jewelry. The cache of jewelry included gold and diamond pendants, bracelets, necklaces, rings, earrings, a limited edition gold Patek Philippe watch, an engraved Rolex, and other items.
Some of the custom pieces were engraved with the words “YSL X BC 4 LIFE,” Steel wrote and added that police even took the rapper’s clothing into evidence.
“Officers located and seized from inside the kitchen of Mr. Williams’ 355 Allison Drive residence a green hooded sweatshirt on which there was printed the phrase ‘SLIME OVER S#### Make America Slime Again,'” the document read.
In response to Rafaello & Company claiming that nine pieces of jewelry loaned to Thug belonged to them, the rapper’s reply rebuffed the company and said they had no “lawful interest” in the seized property.
In the meantime, it’s reported that only four items have been identified as possible -property of the company. In the meantime, the rapper’s lawyer also said that the seizure of the rapper’s assets was unlawful.
“Forfeiture of the seized property is barred by the prohibition against excessive fines set forth in the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution,” Steel argued. “[Young Thug] is the lawful owner of the seized property.”
Born Jeffrey Lamar Williams, the rapper, including fellow rapper Gunna and 26 other people associated with his YSL outfit, is on trial for violating Georgia’s RICO Act.
Young Thug is named in several counts and has been linked to murder and other offenses committed by the gang. Thug has been denied bond twice as prosecutors informed the judge that he has been named by almost all of the witnesses, some of whom are alleged gang members on trial and others who aren’t.
The rapper’s trial is set to begin in January 2023.
