A Houston rap artist is being charged in wire fraud scheme involving Apple iPhones, according to federal officials.
William James Dennis — better known as Willie D of the Houston rap group the Geto Boys — was arrested Wednesday at Bush Intercontinental Airport where he was returning from an overseas trip.
Dennis appeared in federal court in Houston today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mary Milloy. He is slated to appear again Friday, and prosecutors indicated they will fight his release on bail, contending he is a flight risk.
A wire fraud conviction carries up to 20 years in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine.
Through a front company, Dennis received thousands of dollars from foreigners and promised to ship several foreigners bulk orders of iPhones, according to an FBI affidavit.
But he always made excuses, never delivered the goods and kept the money, authorities said. He eventually stopped responding to e-mail complaints, according to offiicials.
The Geto Boys became well-known in the 1990s for their groundbreaking gangsta rap albums that sometimes touched on disturbing topics. They had several albums that went gold or platinum and reformed in 2005 to record a popular reunion album.
Source : The Houston Chronicle
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