Atlanta-area stars and influencers alike can breathe a sigh of relief now that a 220-count indictment has been issued against 26 alleged gang members who had been invading and robbing celebrity homes, terrorizing anyone they found inside.
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The metro Atlanta gang members used social media postings to scope out the bling quotient of the celebs and influencers whose homes they invaded, prosecutors said. Singer Mariah Carey, “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Marlo Hampton, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley and Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan were among those targeted, said Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis at a news conference, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Another one of the 16 alleged victims was the mother of one of rapper Future’s children.
Eighteen of the alleged 26 gang members were in custody as of Monday, authorities said. The “hybrid” Drug Rich gang — with members reportedly connected to the Bloods, Crips and Gangster Disciples — originated in 2016. They kicked off their robbery spree in 2018 with a carjacking, Willis said.
“What they did was target people who showed their wealth on social media,” she said.
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One horrifying incident detailed in the indictment, and the source of 65 of the 220 charges, is an October 2021 home invasion and attempted kidnapping, prosecutors said. Eight of the alleged gang members burst into the home, yanked a 16-year-old girl out of the shower and threatened her with harm if her mother didn’t hand over valuables, the Journal-Constitution reported.
The carjacking, kidnapping, armed robbery, shootings and home invasions were just some of the felonies detailed in the 220-count, 94-page indictment filed Aug. 22.
Carey was one of those alleged victims, according to an incident report obtained by WXIA-TV. On June 27, a slew of high-end apparel and footwear had been nicked from her Sandy Springs, Georgia, home, and security footage revealed suspects breaking in and making off with “large bags full of items,” WXIA reported. Those three suspects are among those arrested and indicted.
“What they do is target people who show their wealth on social media,” Willis said. “So I do have a message for the public: Where it is kind of fun to put your things on social media and show off, unfortunately these gangs are becoming more savvy, more sophisticated in the way that they target you.”
With News Wire Services
