Minnesota rapper Lil Shine has been hit with federal charges and stands accused of hacking the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) in order to gain access to codeine prescriptions.
The rising underground star, whose real name is Jasper William Johnson, was charged alongside Oscar Becerra-Ruiz and Raujaun Keon Varner, according to an indictment viewed by HipHopDX.
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The three men are accused of enacting a scheme to hack the DEA’s practitioners and physicians’ system and using it to order “at least” 300 pints of promethazine with codeine.
They have been formally charged with conspiracy to acquire and obtain controlled substances by fraud, 11 counts of wire fraud and four counts of aggravated identity theft.
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From December 2022 to August 2023, the men allegedly stole information from physicians to set up customer accounts with pharmaceutical wholesalers.
They then are accused of placing large orders for promethazine with codeine, which were then shipped to fake doctors offices throughout the U.S. with the intention to sell them.
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The promethazine allegedly had a street value of $750,000.
The DEA said that no patient data was compromised in the hack.
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Lil Shine has since addressed his arrest on social media, writing on his Instagram Stories: “IM INNOCENT!”
He also said on Instagram Live: “Basically, I’ve been given the opportunity to fight this shit and it could take anywhere from six months to a year and I can drop music and shit.
“I just want you to know I appreciate all the love. I’m free, though. That federal shit is different, it’s not like a state case but I’m gonna be fighting this shit from outside the walls.
“Without God I’d be having to fight this shit from inside. I’ma take this shit to the chin and stay strong for sure. This shit definitely is crazy. I did expect this shit. I did get a target letter in the mail. It was expected.
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“I’ma keep updating y’all but as it’s an open case I can’t detail too much live shit. What’s fucking me up is a lot of my charges got mandatory minimums but it’s early, I’m letting my lawyer handle that.”
Lil Shine also said he would be dropping a single on Christmas Day and a new tape on New Year.
