Greek hip-hop artist used gambling to launder money from ATM theft
Greek authorities have detained trap musician Don Leon and two other suspects in connection with a series of ATM robberies. The three now face a long list of charges, including money laundering at a local casino.
Greek City Times reports that the defendants are accused of carrying out 10 ATM bomb attacks, with an estimated theft of around 710,000 euros ($769,000). Police found a cache of weapons, explosives and a large amount of cash when they searched a property near Athens this week.
Criminals violently broke into ATMs in what they described as a "victimless" crime. Police arrested the trio in Kifisia after they were last suspected of carrying out a robbery at an ATM in Ermioni, about two hours' drive south of Athens.
The theft reportedly cost them around €198,515 ($214,971). It also gave investigators enough clues to track down the gang.
Show wealth
Police seized numerous items, including explosives, at least one M16 rifle, handguns and pyrotechnic devices. Greek police said in a statement that this was the first time they had encountered an M16 automatic rifle, which is commonly used in the U.S. armed forces and may be used in criminal activities.
Police also seized cables, burglary tools, vehicles, mobile phones and cash worth €206,570 ($223,694). Additionally, law enforcement authorities arrested a family member of one of the suspects for violating weapons laws. A number of firearms and bullets were found at the residence of the unknown individual.
The trio reportedly flaunted their wealth everywhere, both in person and online. Their alleged method of concealing illegal profits is to waste funds in the music field and gambling ecosystem.
Leon, whose real name is Nikiforos Bouklis, is a famous Greek hip-hop artist. His specialty is trap, a music that originated in the United States about 30 years ago and is fused with traditional Greek music. He allegedly used his connections in the music industry to convert some of the stolen money into clean money by raising the cost of music video production.
Repeat offender
Leon, 28, known for his genre-crossing music, had faced legal troubles in 2021 for the same offense. He was not freed until early this year.
When he was first arrested, he pleaded "not guilty" to most of the charges. There were more than thirty in total, but he agreed to plead guilty to only three.
After his release, he claimed his offense was an "isolated" incident stemming from a need to provide food for his family. He publicly defended his actions, saying the bank's insurance would cover the stolen money and the car owner's insurance would cover the stolen car.
However, there is no insurance against attempted murder. This is another charge Leon could face if investigators find enough evidence. An attempted ATM attack in October resulted in a shootout between robbers and security guards.
There is no direct evidence linking Leon to the attack. However, the rapper is said to have joked about it in several recent songs.
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Source: www.casino.org
