Black Mafia Family - What Happened?
A timeline of the Black Mafia Family story.
Photo credit: DAVID STUART
The BMF story timeline from CL news reports:
1990s
BMF operated a drug ring since the 1990’s and early 2000’s. BMF operated out of hubs in L.A. – run by Terry “Southwest T” Flenory and Atlanta – run by Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory. Atlanta served as distribution site of the drugs and money while the L.A. hub handled incoming shipments from Mexico. They had two additional hubs in Detroit and St. Louis.
- Shipped huge cocaine shipments across the country in limos, RVs and other vehicles with hidden apartments
- BMF Atlanta culture focused on the importance of the ultimate crime of snitching and the fast lifestyle afforded to members
- BMF was allowed to continue running despite numerous attempts to be indicted because prosecutors struggled to find witnesses willing to testify against BMF. And if they did, they would remain anonymous.
Early 2000s
- Years ago – a bullet grazed Southwest T’s eye and the doctor messed up the surgery. T was able to get a settlement and launches a car service in Detroit that later becomes the transport system distributing cocaine across the country.
- BMF operated 5 stash houses in the Atlanta area.
- Notable locations
- The Gate – off Roswell Rd near Chevron
- The Elevator – agents could not find exact location
- The Boulevard
- Every 10 days, vehicles would arrive with 100-150 kilos of cocaine packed in secret compartments
- Notable locations
- Customers who ordered would call in and say their vehicle was ready
- Depending on the size of the order, they would be directed to a specific stash house
- Pull up and hand over money in $5k bundles
- Coke sold at $20k per kilo
- Vehicles would be filled with cash and sent back to the Mexican suppliers
- DEA begin to suspect that the crew that has yet to call itself BMF is moving massive quantities of cocaine through Atlanta, Detroit and Los Angeles.
Fall 2003
- 7 September 2003 – 2 men were robbed by invaders in a townhouse located in Boulevard.
- Police responded to the home invasion and house a safe the size of a small room inside the townhouse that possessed a lone shoe and a single kilo of cocaine
- Most likely there were more drugs in the safe, which were moved before the arrival of the police
March 2004
- Big Meech launches record label BMF Entertainment as a front for money laundering and as a legitimate business and source of legal income.
End of Summer 2004
- DEA and Fulton County Prosecutors believe the BMF to be in possession of money laundering and cocaine in various states and cities.
- Money Laundering
- Georgia - $140K
- Missouri - $425k
- Texas - $720K
- Drugs linked to BMF
- Flagstaff, Arizona – 17 kilos of coke
- Crawford County, Arkansas – 27 kilos of coke
- St. Louis – 100 kilos (=$9 million)
October 2005
- Big Meech and Southwest T were arrested under “Continuing Criminal Enterprise” Statute
- Agents seized $21 million in assets including cash, jewelry, 3 dozen vehicles and 13 homes in Georgia, Detroit, and LA
2006
BMF - Hip-hop's shadowy empire - part 1 Article
Wednesday December 6, 2006 12:04 AM EST
Big Meech" Flenory and the Black Mafia Family were hip-hop royalty. But investigators say they had a darker side. Part 1 of 3"
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BMF - Hip-hop's shadowy empire (part 2) Article
Wednesday December 13, 2006 12:04 AM EST
Loyalty within the Black Mafia Family made the alleged drug enterprise nearly impenetrable. But one high-placed member would break BMF's code of silence. Part 2 of 3
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BMF - Hip-hop's shadowy empire - part 3 Article
Wednesday December 20, 2006 12:04 AM EST
In the summer of 2005, the party would get out of hand for Demetrius Big Meech" Flenory and the Black Mafia Family. And the feds would be ready to make their move. Part 3 of 3"
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Editor's Note - BMF feedback Article
Wednesday December 20, 2006 12:05 AM EST
'Hip-hop's shadowy empire'
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2007
Both brothers plead guilty to CCE
High-ranking BMF member pleads guilty Article
Wednesday April 11, 2007 12:04 AM EDT
Chad 'J-Bo' Brown faces 15 or more years in prison
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Alleged BMF member faces murder charges Article
Wednesday June 6, 2007 12:04 AM EDT
Indictment comes amid flurry of activity in several investigations into the Black Mafia Family
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Nearly three years later, alleged BMF member indicted in Velvet Room murder Article
Wednesday June 6, 2007 05:30 PM EDT
More news from BMF
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Alleged BMF leader Big Meech won't get his own trial Article
Tuesday July 3, 2007 05:44 PM EDT
News from BMF
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BMF leaders' trial could be pushed back Article
Wednesday July 11, 2007 12:04 AM EDT
Fate of 16 other co-defendants in Black Mafia Family case uncertain
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New trial date for alleged BMF leaders Article
Wednesday July 18, 2007 12:04 AM EDT
Prosecutors and defense attorneys will have more time to prepare for November trial
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Alleged BMF members indicted in Atlanta Article
Wednesday July 25, 2007 10:08 PM EDT
16 BMF members charged.
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BMF witness threatened Article
Tuesday August 28, 2007 01:42 PM EDT
Marc "Swift" Whaley receives threats ahead of testimony.
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Letter from alleged BMF leader to judge: Let me out Article
Friday September 7, 2007 02:00 PM EDT
Big Meech wants bail. Says he isn't a flight risk.
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Rapper charged with running cocaine for BMF Article
Monday October 8, 2007 05:43 PM EDT
Bleu DaVinci facing charges.
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Meech's lawyers: Postpone BMF trial Article
Monday October 15, 2007 03:39 PM EDT
Lawyers say they need more time to prep.
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BMF trial postponed - again Article
Thursday October 18, 2007 08:49 PM EDT
Trial moved back by two weeks.
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BMF - BMF's judgment day Article
Wednesday November 14, 2007 12:04 AM EST
BREAKING NEWS: Meech pleads guilty
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Meech pleads guilty Article
Monday November 19, 2007 10:22 PM EST
DETROIT — After spending two years awaiting trial, Demetrius "Big Meech" Flenory pleaded guilty Nov. 19 to laundering drug money and running a continuing criminal enterprise. His plea ended a 15-year investigation into his role in the $270 million multistate cocaine ring the Black Mafia Family.
Meech, a 39-year-old hip-hop entrepreneur and Detroit native who ran BMF's Atlanta hub, stood with...
| more...BMF co-founder follows brother's lead, pleads guilty Article
Wednesday November 21, 2007 08:54 PM EST
Terry "Southwest T" Flenory pleads guilty.
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BMF: The book and the movie Article
Tuesday November 27, 2007 07:35 PM EST
CL Senior Writer Mara Shalhoup scores a book deal for her work on the BMF.
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2008
Both are sentenced to 30 years imprisonment
- Terry Flenory was sent to Oregon Prison
- May 5, 2020 – was granted a compassionate release due to health ailments and from effort by the Federal Bureau of Prisons to release certain inmates to limit the spread of the Covid-19 in federal prisons
- Demetrius Flenory was serving his sentence at the Federal Detention Center in Sheridan Oregon
- Attempted early release under the same conditions as his brother but was denied
Atlanta BMF trial underway Article
Wednesday June 11, 2008 06:55 PM EDT
Following the cases in Detroit, it is Atlanta's turn for BMF justice.
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Witness: Young Jeezy received kilos of BMF coke Article
Friday June 13, 2008 08:30 PM EDT
Young Jeezy gets caught up in the BMF trial.
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BMF member guilty on one count Article
Monday June 16, 2008 09:13 PM EDT
Fleming "Ill" Daniels found guilty of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
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Top BMF figure guilty Article
Wednesday June 18, 2008 12:04 AM EDT
Witness: Rap star Young Jeezy got kilos of coke
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Sentencing dates for BMF co-leaders Article
Tuesday August 5, 2008 10:35 PM EDT
BMF sentencing to start.
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BMF co-leaders sentenced Article
Wednesday September 17, 2008 12:04 AM EDT
Strong show of support for Black Mafia Family's Flenory brothers
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BMF's Big Meech approves biopic rights Article
Thursday October 9, 2008 07:33 PM EDT
That's what we've been told by James DuBose, the hopeful producer of a feature film about the Atlanta and L.A.-based Black Mafia Family and its heads, the Flenory brothers.
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Sean Diddy" Combs' cousin sentenced for his role in BMF" Article
Wednesday October 29, 2008 05:52 PM EDT
Darryl "Poppa" Taylor received seven years in prison for his role as a cocaine courier for the Black Mafia Family.
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BMF rapper Bleu DaVinci sentenced Article
Wednesday October 29, 2008 10:19 PM EDT
Five years for the sole rapper signed to cocaine crew's record label
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The $1 million that BMF left behind - in a Hummer limo Article
Thursday October 30, 2008 09:16 PM EDT
Money remained hidden for four years
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BMF's Big Meech returns to Georgia Article
Monday November 3, 2008 07:50 PM EST
Demetrius Flenory asked to serve his 30-year prison sentence close to Atlanta.
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Rapper, Diddy's cousin sentenced in BMF sting Article
Friday November 7, 2008 04:43 PM EST
The Black Mafia Family continued to unravel last week when a parade of the cocaine ring's affiliates was sentenced in federal court in Atlanta.
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Did deceased Def Jam exec have ties to BMF? Article
Friday November 7, 2008 08:30 PM EST
No information has surfaced that supports Shakir Stewart's alleged connection to the Black Mafia Family.
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BMF leaders canonized by Swedish artist Article
Wednesday November 19, 2008 01:18 PM EST
Hannes Isaksson includes the Flenory brothers in his sketches of American gangsters
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BMF's third-in-command sentenced Article
Wednesday December 17, 2008 11:44 PM EST
Fleming "Ill" Daniels, close associate of Black Mafia Family co-leader Demetrius "Big Meech" Flenory, gets 20 years.
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2009
Pacman' Jones paid for BMF murder suspect's lawyer Article
Wednesday January 21, 2009 11:16 PM EST
Black Mafia Family's third-in-command got a high-priced lawyer compliments of an NFL star.
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BMF member arrested, Jay-Z's 'Death of Autotune' gives nod to the crew Article
Sunday July 19, 2009 03:39 PM EDT
The infamous Black Mafia Family crew is pretty much gone - but far from forgotten.
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2010
Pacman' Jones paid for BMF murder suspect's lawyer Article
Wednesday January 21, 2009 11:16 PM EST
Black Mafia Family's third-in-command got a high-priced lawyer compliments of an NFL star.
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BMF member arrested, Jay-Z's 'Death of Autotune' gives nod to the crew Article
Sunday July 19, 2009 03:39 PM EDT
The infamous Black Mafia Family crew is pretty much gone - but far from forgotten.
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2009-2023
Book Review - BMF: The Rise and Fall of Big Meech and the Black Mafia Family hits bookshelves Article
Monday February 22, 2010 04:00 PM EST
Mara Shalhoup's book on the national cocaine syndicate to be published March 2
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BMF member gets 20 years for manslaughter Article
Friday February 26, 2010 09:53 PM EST
Fleming "Ill" Daniels pleads guilty to 2004 killing at the now-defunct Velvet Room.
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CL editor Mara Shalhoup reads from new BMF book tonight Article
Tuesday March 2, 2010 05:00 PM EST
A round up of Atlanta music links and happenings.
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Big Meech politicks from prison on Young Jeezy's 'The Real BMF' Article
Saturday June 26, 2010 10:09 PM EDT
Big Meech letting his views known on the prison phone.
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Jeezy takes shot at Rick Ross on new track, then inexplicably denies it Article
Wednesday August 11, 2010 02:10 PM EDT
Death B4 Dishonor" calls out Ross for claiming BMF ... or does it?"
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Rick Ross shoots back at Jeezy for apparent diss Article
Friday August 13, 2010 02:59 PM EDT
The non-feud heats up with The Summa's Mine""
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More than beef at stake behind BET Hip-Hop Awards' brawls Article
Tuesday October 2, 2012 11:00 AM EDT
Rap reached old levels of absurdity last weekend when two melees broke out at the Atlanta Civic Center taping of the BET Hip-Hop Awards. Chalk it up to music business politics
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Black Mafia Family Article
Saturday April 1, 2023 04:24 PM EDT
Creative Loafing's first hand look at the Black Mafia Family. Our collection of stories, Big Meech and the BMF.
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Black Mafia Family - Who's Who? Article
Monday April 24, 2023 05:38 PM EDT
The BMF was indicted in Atlanta in late 2005. Many were swept up in the overall conspiracy. Here's our guide to who's who in the Black Mafia Family story.
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Black Mafia Family - What Happened? Article
Monday April 24, 2023 06:39 PM EDT
A timeline of the Black Mafia Family story.
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Related
Black Mafia Family - Who's Who?
04/24/2023 5:38 PM
The BMF was indicted in Atlanta in late 2005. Many were swept up in the overall conspiracy. Here's our guide to who's who in the Black Mafia Family story.
Black Mafia Family
04/01/2023 4:24 PM
Creative Loafing's first hand look at the Black Mafia Family. Our collection of stories, Big Meech and the BMF.
Big Meech politicks from prison on Young Jeezy's 'The Real BMF'
06/26/2010 10:09 PM
Big Meech letting his views known on the prison phone.
BMF member gets 20 years for manslaughter
02/26/2010 9:53 PM
Fleming "Ill" Daniels pleads guilty to 2004 killing at the now-defunct Velvet Room.
Book Review - BMF: The Rise and Fall of Big Meech and the Black Mafia Family hits bookshelves
02/22/2010 4:00 PM
Mara Shalhoup's book on the national cocaine syndicate to be published March 2
BMF member arrested, Jay-Z's 'Death of Autotune' gives nod to the crew
07/19/2009 3:39 PM
The infamous Black Mafia Family crew is pretty much gone - but far from forgotten.