Lil Durk Pleads Not Guilty to Federal Murder-for-Hire Charges
Lil Durk has entered a not-guilty plea to federal charges accusing him of orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot dating back two years.
The 32-year-old Chicago-based emcee, born Durk Banks, appeared in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom on Thursday (Nov. 14), where U.S. Magistrate Judge Patricia Donahue ordered him to be held without bond.
Durk’s charges stem from an alleged 2022 incident in which authorities say the “All My Life” emcee conspired with members of his Only The Family (OTF) collective to murder fellow rapper Quando Rondo, whose real name is Tyquian Bowman.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the plot was financed using OTF resources and carried out near the Beverly Center in Los Angeles.
Prosecutors allege that a team traveled from Chicago to target Bowman, but the ambush near the upscale shopping mall went awry, resulting in the death of Bowman’s cousin, who was accompanying him at the time.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada stated, “Mr. Banks is charged with orchestrating a cold-blooded murder…Violent gun crime of this sort is devastating to our community, and we will have zero-tolerance for those who perpetrate such callous acts of violence.”
A tentative trial date is set for Jan. 7, though it may be postponed, with upcoming hearings scheduled for Nov. 25 and Dec. 12.
Durk remains in federal lockup. If convicted, the Grammy-winning artist faces life in federal prison.
