Ex-Chicago Rap Mogul Avoids Life Sentence After Cooperating Against Mexican Drug Cartel

Rudy Acosta III, known best in the Hip Hop community as “King Rudy,” has dodged a permanent prison sentence by aiding authorities in a drug-related case he was once the subject of.

On Tuesday (September 19), the Legion Records founder was let off for time served despite distributing narcotics in the city of Chicago since the 1990s. According to the Chicago Sun Times, Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Erskine recognized the former rap mogul as “one of the most prolific and successful cooperators with our office, probably in the last decade or so.”

Acosta’s involvement in the investigation has resulted in 36 people being charged in drug crimes and public corruption. Among them is Senator Martin Sandoval, who passed away in December 2020, only a few months after pleading guilty to corruption charges.

Earlier this year, Acosta III admitted to distributing cocaine in a plea agreement. Though his radius pertained mostly to the city of Chicago, he claimed to be working with suppliers in Mexico. Upon being caught and taken into police custody, he spent approximately seven years assisting prosecutors gather evidence against people in his network.

On the flip side, Fetty Wap was sentenced to six years in prison earlier this year for his role in helping run an extensive drug ring out of Long Island.

The “Trap Queen” rapper (real name Willie Junior Maxwell II) had been in custody since last year, when his bail was revoked following allegations that he displayed a firearm and threatened to kill someone while on a FaceTime call.

When he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, prosecutors argued for a longer sentence, claiming that Fetty had used his platform to “glamorize the drug trade” while making millions from his music after “Trap Queen” dropped in 2015.

His sentencing came in late May, when he appeared before Judge Joanna Seybert at the federal court in Central Islip, New York. The 32-year-old rapper was arrested on federal drug charges at New York’s Citi Field in October 2021 as he was gearing up to take the stage at the Rolling Loud Festival.

He was accused of running an extensive drug ring out of Long Island, allegedly helping traffic over 100 kilograms of opioids, crack and cocaine over from the West Coast to be distributed in Long Island.

After his arrest, the FBI recovered 16 kilograms of cocaine, 2 kilograms of heroin, fentanyl pills, two 9mm handguns, a rifle, a .45 caliber pistol, a .40 caliber pistol, ammunition and $1.5 million in cash.