Lil Durk pleads not guilty to murder-for-hire plot against rival rapper

Grammy-winning rapper Lil Durk has been charged in an alleged murder-for-hire plot targeting a rival rapper, which resulted in the death of the musician’s cousin.
Appearing in Los Angeles federal court on Thursday, the 32-year-old (real name Durk Davontay Banks) was arraigned on conspiracy, murder-for-hire and firearms charges. Durk pleaded not guilty to the charges, per a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for California’s Central District.
The charges he faces are one count of conspiracy, one count of using interstate facilities to commit murder-for-hire resulting in death, and one count of “using, carrying, and discharging firearms and a machine gun and possession of such firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death.”
If convicted, the maximum sentence is life in prison.
USA TODAY has reached out to Durk’s attorneys for comment.
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His trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 7, 2025. Ahead of the date, Durk is scheduled for a status conference on Nov. 25 and a detention hearing on Dec. 12.
According to a superseding grand jury indictment from June, filed in California federal court on Nov. 7, prosecutors allege Durk had the help of five co-conspirators who allegedly had ties to Banks’ hip-hop group Only the Family in his plot to murder a victim, who is named T.B. in the court document.
On Aug. 19, 2022, several of the co-conspirators were flown to Southern California and tracked T.B. to an alley behind a Los Angeles-area gas station, prosecutors claim. They allegedly used firearms, including one that was modified to operate as a fully automatic machinegun, and opened fire at T.B.’s car.
The shooting killed T.B.’s relative, S.R., who was standing next to the vehicle.
Georgia rapper Quando Rondo (real name Tyquian Bowman) was reportedly the target of the plot, and his cousin who was killed was Saviay’a Robinson, also known as Lul Pab. The shooting was retaliation for the November 2020 murder of Chicago rapper King Von, prosecutors allege.
The indictment alleges that Durk “would place bounties on individuals that he and other OTF members wanted to kill.” His alleged conspirators are Kavon London Grant, Deandre Dontrell Wilson, Keith Jones, David Brian Lindsey and Asa Houston.
On Oct. 17, Durk was arrested near Miami International Airport as he allegedly planned to board international flights.
Earlier this year, the rapper won best melodic rap performance for “All My Life,” a track that features J. Cole.