Lil Tjay‘s attorney has denied reports that the rapper has been arrested as part of a federal indictment targeting the Slaughtery gang in The Bronx, New York.
It was speculated that Tjay (real name Tione Merritt) was one of 20 individuals who were arrested as part of an investigation into 14 shootings in the Fordham area of the Bronx between 2020 and 2024.
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The gang are also accused of using social media to promote violence and boast about the shootings.
A list of the gang members named in the indictment was previously released, and while Tjay was not mentioned, an alleged photo of his mugshot led to speculation that he was part of the indictment.
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The rapper’s attorney has now sought to clarify the confusion surrounding her client.
Attorney Dawn Florio said in a statement: “Despite recent reports, we want to clarify that my client, rap artist Tione Jayden Merritt, professionally known as Lil Tjay, has not been indicted. We are aware of several news outlets that have shared false information regarding his legal matter, and we wish to address these inaccuracies.
“We urge all media outlets to exercise caution and ensure proper due diligences before publishing speculative or unfounded claims. Reporting inaccurate information not only damages reputations, but misleads the public.”
Lil Tjay allegedly arrested in $LATTERY gang indicment😳 pic.twitter.com/RK3Yu2pcy9
— Code RED (@CodeRED_tv) September 13, 2024
Despite not being named in the Slaughtery gang indictment, Lil Tjay has been plagued by a number of legal issues since rising to fame in 2018.
Earlier this year, Tjay was arrested on his 23rd birthday over an outstanding warrant for a missed court date.
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After being released on bond, the “Calling My Phone” hitmaker posted a picture of himself boarding a private jet.
Before that, he was booked for reckless endangerment in 2023 after livestreaming himself driving.
The arrest was filmed by Tjay on Instagram Live, with the footage showing him telling officers: “Nah. Do not touch me, bro. What am I under arrest for?”
One of the cops then told the Bronx native to turn around, but he refused: “No, n-gga. No, bro. Hell no. What’s in the car? I don’t know what’s in the car. Don’t touch me. There’s no firearm in the car.”
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He was then restrained by multiple officers, handcuffed and taken away.
Tjay also previously turned himself in over a gun charge relating to when he was shot multiple times in 2022 and forced to undergo emergency surgery to save his life.
