Harlem rapper Carlton Carter, 30, including dozens of co-conspirators, were making a killing selling prescription drugs and cashing forged checks. On Thursday, May 29, they were all indicted by Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance.
Carter, was caught up in the bust, and the New York Daily News detailed his struggle:
A rapper who had about 300 pairs of Air Jordans when he was busted as part of a 25-member identity theft ring, the Daily News has learned.
“S**t like taking candy from a baby… I had the neon s**t, the vest, hanging from the waist like it was a bandana,” Carlton Carter, said in an intercepted call on Feb. 25, after he pretended to be a construction worker at a New Jersey TD Bank and ripped off an actual contractor, according to papers filed by the Manhattan District Attorney.
The stunt was uncovered as part of a probe into a roughly $80,000 swindle involving over a dozen Manhattan banks – mostly Chase and Citibank – that culminated in dozens of collars Tuesday. Carter, 30, and his cohorts are expected to appear in Manhattan Supreme Court on Thursday.
While Carter oversaw the bank fraud portion of the crime ring, the drug aspect was allegedly handled by 38-year-old Thomas Luckey. The drug ring was filling out phone prescriptions of Oxycodone throughout the city and selling other narcotics, including cocaine. Both were arraigned on Thursday and pleaded not guilty.
Carter raps under the moniker “Paper Ova” and has a YouTube video for a song called “Shopping” about tricking and ducking gold diggers. Posted three years ago, it only had 2,350 views at the time of this post, though.
Besides the Js, authorities also found forged and false IDs and hollow-point bullets at Carter’s home. The struggle is very, very real.
Become a Harlem Insider!
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
