The trial of Irv and Chris

“Gotti” Lorenzo on federal money laundering charges continued yesterday

(Nov. 21) opening with Judge Edward Korman hearing evidence about 50 Cent’s

May 2000 shooting.

Prosecutors argued in closed chambers that the May 2000 shooting is related

to The Inc.’s money laundering trial, because it was ordered by Kenneth

“Supreme” McGriff as the brothers allegedly laundered the convicted

cocaine dealer’s drug proceeds.

They also claim to have a message from one of The Inc.’s pagers, claiming

a message was sent shortly after 50 Cent was shot in May 2000 saying “f**k

half a dollar, me and my ni**as kill for fun.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Haran said that on the day 50 Cent was shot, Irv

sent a flurry of messages, allegedly within 30 minutes of the shooting, asking

how many times the rapper had been shot and if he had been killed.

Former McGriff associate Jon Ragin testified yesterday as well, claiming that

McGriff, alleged triggerman Robert “Son” Lyons and Chauncey “God

B.” Milliner met in a Brooklyn garage immediately after the May 2000 attack.

"Supreme said, ‘I got him,’" Ragin told Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn

Pokorny. "I didn’t know who it was he got and Supreme explained he got

50 Cent. He thought 50 Cent was dead. He got shot so many times at close range

and there was so much blood."

Ragin even claimed that Lyons wiped gun powder residue off of his hands with

rubbing alcohol after the shooting.

Ragin was a McGriff associate and partner in a business Picture Perfect, which

produced the DVD film “Crime Partners,” which the government claims

was a fake company designed to launder McGriff’s drug proceeds.

Ragin is facing up to 108 months in prison and is cooperating with the government

for a lesser sentence in a massive credit card fraud ring. Ragin is also in

the witness protection program.

Ragin had prior drug convictions and is with running a multi-million dollar

credit card scam through a phony tuxedo rental business.

Attorney’s for The Inc. are attempting to prevent the jurors from hearing

evidence related to 50 Cent’s shooting, claiming it has nothing to do

with money laundering charges.

"With the introduction of contradictory evidence…the trial will

be overwhelmed by an irrelevant sideshow about who shot 50 Cent," the Lorenzo’s

attorney Gerald Lefcourt said in court filings.

Lefcourt and Gerald Shargel have countered the government’s claims that

McGriff ordered the shooting, alleging that the original gunman was Darryl “Hommo”

Baum.

At one point, an aggravated Shargel could be heard yelling from the judge’s

chambers: “Hommo [Baum] did it, Hommo did it, Hommo did it. Even 50 Cent

says it!”

Lefcourt and Shargel portrayed Ragin as a habitual liar who was involved in

prostitution, money laundering and other schemes.

The defense also introduced 50 Cent’s lyrics to “Many

Men,” interviews conducted by 50 Cent in which he named Baum as his shooter

and Ethan Brown’s investigative book, Queens

Reigns Supreme, which hits stores today.

Prosecutors contend that it was safer for 50 Cent to attribute his shooting

to a dead man, because the alleged triggerman, [Lyons], was still alive.

The jury has not been allowed to hear any of this yet, as none of it has been

entered into evidence.

Actual testimony in front of jurors relating to The Inc.’s federal money

laundering trial only lasted about two hours.

Around noon, Judge Edward Korman called recess to attend a funeral.

,

When testimony resumed in front of jurors, New York Police Department detective

Anthony Castiglia testified on behalf of the prosecution, attempting to prove

that large sums of money could fit into shoe boxes to be laundered.

Last week, defense attorney’s accused prosecution witness Donnell Nichols

of lying because $70,000 in $5 and $10 dollar bills could not in a shoe box.

Castiglia said he successfully stuffed over $7,000 in $1 dollar bills into

an Adidas shoebox, attempting to prove that large sums of money could have been

laundered in this fashion.

The defense countered, saying no one knew the actual size of the boxes and

therefore an accurate dollar estimate could not be determined.

The prosecution did note that the defendants were more likely to wear sneakers

and Timberland boots, as opposed to dress shoes.

Testimony continues today (Nov. 22).