A Queens, New York couple was charged with the 2001 murder of
upcoming rapper Eric “E-Money Bags” Smith, who authorities say was
murdered out of revenge for alleged drug kingpin Kenneth “Supreme”
McGriff.
Dennis “Divine”
Crosby, 38, and Nicole Brown, 42, videotaped Smith’s movements from a
nearby apartment for several days and allegedly planned the murder.
Smith was allegedly
setup to avenge the murder of a McGriff associate, Colbert “Black Just”
Johnson, who was killed in a cocaine related dispute.
Smith was gunned
down in his Lincoln Navigator. Authorities said as many as 40 shots were fired
at his SUV, 10 of which struck the upcoming rapper.
The murder charges
are the first in a wider probe of links between McGriff and Murder Inc. Records.
Authorities believe that McGriff laundered millions of dollars of drug proceeds
through the label.
Authorities found
the videotape in a Baltimore stash house and traced it back to Brown’s
apartment. She allegedly told authorities that her boyfriend, Crosby, ordered
her to keep an eye on E-Money Bags.
McGriff, who is
serving a prison sentence for gun violations, has been implicated in several
other murders, but has not been charged in any of the incidents.
According to reports,
the day Smith was murdered, McGriff allegedly called a cooperating witness and
said that “Black Just could finally rest in peace.”
In the past week,
authorities have charged Murder Inc. bookkeeper Cynthia Brent and Ja Rule’s
manager Ronald “Gutta” Robinson with laundering money for McGriff.
Murder Inc.’s
CEO, Irv Gotti has repeatedly denied involvement.
