Nicki Minaj has seemingly been the victim of some swatting, after police received false reports that she was abusing her child, and that her house was on fire.
According to TMZ, law enforcement officials in Los Angeles received two separate 911 calls on Monday (June 5) — one reporting that the “Starships” rapper’s son, known as “Papa Bear,” was being abused, and another claiming that Minaj was stuck in a house fire.
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However, when first responders arrived at the scene, they found nothing to substantiate the claims that came through the switchboard.
“Sources close to Nicki tell us she’s not letting this little episode slide,” TMZ reported. “We’re told she’s hired lawyers to make sure the people behind this swatting are exposed and held accountable — which could mean criminal charges down the road.”
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The FBI reports that swatting is what happens when an individual uses 911 to dispatch law enforcement to a person’s home — and the tactic is called “swatting” because it involves making a claim so outrageous that a SWAT team is usually deployed. A specialized type of swatting known as “celebrity swatting,” which is what Nicki Minaj experienced, has also become a growing trend.
But the FBI also makes clear that not only is the practice causing a dangerous strain on law enforcement resources, but that it’s also a crime that has severe consequences — including steep fines, felony charges, and jail time.
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This isn’t the first time that Nicki Minaj has been targeted in a crime. Back in 2017, she was the victim of a burglary as her Los Angeles home was broken into while she was out of town.
The mansion was trashed after the culprit flipped over furniture, smashed perfume bottles and even cut up Nicki’s clothes. The burglar (or burglars) made off with about $200,000 in jewelry and other items, the report said.
Meek Mill was initially accused of being behind the robbery — but the Philadelphia rapper, who had recently broken up with Minaj at the time, denied any connection to the attack.
“Do it look like I rob people?” Meek said to a throng of paparazzi snapping photos. He then pulled his expensive jewelry from around his neck for photo purposes.
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“I got [$450,000] around my neck, [$80,000] on my wrist, do it look like I rob people?” exclaimed Meek once more. When the paparazzi asked Meek if he’s seen or spoken to Minaj, the response was less than warm.
“You asking too many fucking questions about my personal life, real talk,” said Meek with a slight smirk before cutting off reporters.
