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NBA YoungBoy orchestrated 'large scale prescription fraud' scheme, Utah police say

Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times on

Published in Entertainment News

The affidavit continued: "Through evaluation of the fraud incidents it is clear that there are numerous individuals involved to further the fraud scheme, identified as an enterprise. The ongoing fraud and suspected drug distribution occurring between Kentrell Gaulden and his associates further substantiates the Pattern of Unlawful Activity as they have engaged in at least three episodes of unlawful activity that are all similar in purpose, results, participants, victims and methods of commission."

Gaulden was arrested on Tuesday when Cache County officers executed a search warrant on his Utah mansion. Guests at Gaulden's home were also detained.

In the home search, police found a gun the rapper claimed belonged to his wife, two bottles of the antibiotic doxycycline (one prescribed to Gaulden, another to a patient named "Caroline White") and several bottles of promethazine with codeine, the affidavit says. Officers also seized all electronic devices in the home, for which Gaulden allegedly did not provide passwords.

Nielsen alleged that the Grammy-nominated "Need It" rapper denied "knowledge of any illegally possessed prescription" and fraud schemes.

According to the affidavit, Gaulden's previous run-ins with the law date to 2018 when he was arrested for alleged aggravated assault and kidnapping. He was arrested again in 2019 and 2020. In March 2021, a federal grand jury indicted Gaulden, accusing the musician of possessing an unregistered firearm and of "possession of firearms by a convicted felon" in connection to his 2020 case. Since October 2021, he has been under house arrest in his home in Weber County.

The affidavit concludes by alleging that Gaulden "has participated in an ongoing criminal enterprise that has been involved in the commission of multiple felonies," despite his house arrest.

"According to the FBI, Kentrell is the known leader of a violent gang from the Louisiana area," the affidavit continues. "Based on Kentrell's history, it is apparent that he is prone to violence."

Gaulden, who was born in Baton Rouge, began rapping as a teenager posting his music to YouTube. After signing to the music label Never Broke Again, Gaulden released his first album "Before I Go" in 2016, which paved the way for more releases and collaborations with rappers 21 Savage, Boosie Badazz, Yo Gotti, Young Thug and Future. The rapper's ascent was mottled with legal trouble, including an arrest for his alleged connection in a 2016 shooting. Despite this, his music career endured.

 

In 2022, Gaulden first entered the Grammys conversation: He earned a melodic rap performance nomination for his work in Tyler, the Creator's song "Wusyaname."

Speaking to Billboard while under house arrest in February 2023, Gaulden said he looks forward to "change" upon release.

"I am very curious of the person who I shall become," he said.

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(L.A. Times researcher Scott Wilson contributed to this report.)

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©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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