NEWS BRIEF: Atlanta rapper Young Thug claims unlawful seizure of hundreds of thousands of dollars in assets

Beloved Atlanta rapper Young Thug, real name Jeffery Williams, has been behind bars since May and was recently denied bail for a third time.

Now, authorities are filing a complaint for forfeiture on money, jewelry, guns, and cars seized during his arrest. The amount of cash alone was almost $150,000. Williams’s lawyer, Brian Steel, is calling the taking of his client’s assets 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.”

Along with the cash, 87 pieces of jewelry were taken, including bracelets, rings, necklaces, earrings, and watches.

Steel added, “(Young Thug) is the lawful owner of the seized property. Claimant obtained the seized property through legitimate transactions whereby the property was either purchased in lawful arms length transactions and the money used to purchase said seized property was lawfully earned through legitimate employment; or the items were gifted to Claimant by persons who have untainted funds.”

In May, Williams was arrested and charged with racketeering, ie. being the head a gang. Prosecutors claim that Williams operated the Young Slime Life, or YSL, gang, a sect of the Bloods. Many of Young Thug’s talent at his record label, Young Stoner Life, were also arrested, including Gunna and Lil Duke. In all, 28 people have been arrest for connections with YSL. fox5atlanta.com