Grammy-Winning Rapper Lil Durk Arrested in Florida for Murder-for-Hire Plot

Grammy Award-winning rapper Lil Durk, whose real name is Durk Devontay Banks, has been arrested in South Florida on charges related to a murder-for-hire plot. The arrest was made by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, and Banks is currently being held by the U.S. Marshals Service.

Banks is accused of leading a Chicago-based rap collective known as Only the Family (OTF), which allegedly engages in violent acts, including murder and assault, under his direction. The federal criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California alleges that Banks placed a monetary bounty on the life of an individual identified as T.B., with whom he was feuding. This feud stemmed from the November 2020 murder of OTF rapper Dayvon Bennett, also known as ‘King Von,’ who was close friends with Banks.

The plot allegedly led to a shooting on August 19, 2022, at a gas station in Los Angeles, where multiple OTF members tracked, stalked, and attempted to murder T.B. The shooting resulted in the death of S.R., a family member of T.B. who was traveling with him. The complaint details that at least 18 rounds were fired at T.B.’s vehicle during the incident.

Banks and five other individuals associated with OTF have been charged with crimes including murder, murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire resulting in death. The group allegedly used finances from Banks and OTF to carry out the hit, with members traveling from Chicago to Los Angeles to execute the plan.

The FBI reported that Banks was apprehended on Thursday night in South Florida while attempting to escape the country. He made his first court appearance on Friday at the C. Clyde Atkins U.S. Courthouse in Miami. If convicted, Banks and the other defendants could face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.

Lil Durk, 32, has had significant success in the music industry, winning a Grammy earlier this year for best melodic rap performance for his song “All My Life” featuring J. Cole. His albums “The Voice” and “7220” have both gone platinum, and he is one of the most popular drill rap artists, a subgenre known for its often-violent lyrics and connection to Chicago’s gang culture.