Lil Zay Osama is among seven men who have been charged in a federal home invasion case in Illinois. On Tuesday (April 28), the U.S. Attorney’s Office unsealed an indictment that charges the Chicago rap artist, born Isaiah Dukes, with conspiracy to commit kidnapping, kidnapping, and robbery. The charges stem from his alleged participation in a violent home invasion in Winnetka, Ill., which occurred in March. The rapper has been in custody since April 10.
According to the unsealed indictment, five of the men forced their way into the victim’s residence, demanding money, valuables, and cryptocurrency at gunpoint. During the course of the robbery, one of the suspects allegedly contacted Lil Zay Osama to receive instructions on how to secure the cryptocurrency from the victims.
Lil Zay Osama’s legal counsel has issued a statement to the press regarding the allegations. “My client was not present at the robbery and he did not set up this robbery and Mr. Dukes is hoping to get to trial as soon as possible,” the statement reads.
All seven defendants have entered pleas of not guilty. Lil Zay Osama is currently scheduled to appear in court again on May 12. This legal development follows the rapper’s release from prison last February, where he had served time for possessing an illegal machine gun in New York City in 2022 after leaving the weapon in an Uber.