RUMOR MILL
It's against federal law to use the "FBI" letters without authorization from the agency, according to the Bureau.
Thursday, April 3, 2003
FBI HAS ITS EYE ON
MURDER INC. VIDEO
Officials Not Pleased Label Used Bureau Logo in New Video Mocking Agency’s Raid on Its Offices
FBI officials are not happy that its logo is being used in a controversial new video produced by Irv Gotti’s Murder Inc. label, according to the New York Post. The clip ridicules the agency's recent raid on its offices, which forced parent company Island Def Jam to ask the label to vacate their Manhattan premises after complaints from tenants, including Microsoft.
According to special agent Jim Margolin, the use of the FBI logo in the video may be a federal crime of its own. It's against federal law to use the "FBI" letters without authorization from the agency, according to the Bureau.
The video for the Ja Rule track, "The Reign," has been in heavy rotation on BET. It prominently features FBI-lettered jackets with actor Patrick Swayze as an agent and mocks the January raid on the record label's midtown offices.
At that time, federal agents seized the bank accounts of several companies involved in a soundtrack for the label's first film, Crime Partners.
Margolin added that "the video would have no impact on the ongoing investigation" into Murder Inc.
The yet-to-be-released film stars Ja Rule and was produced by Kenneth McGriff, a convicted drug kingpin whose gang ruled the crack trade in Jamaica, Queens, in the mid-'80s.
The agency was acting on information Murder Inc. founder Irv Gotti started his label with drug money from McGriff.
According to special agent Jim Margolin, the use of the FBI logo in the video may be a federal crime of its own. It's against federal law to use the "FBI" letters without authorization from the agency, according to the Bureau.
The video for the Ja Rule track, "The Reign," has been in heavy rotation on BET. It prominently features FBI-lettered jackets with actor Patrick Swayze as an agent and mocks the January raid on the record label's midtown offices.
At that time, federal agents seized the bank accounts of several companies involved in a soundtrack for the label's first film, Crime Partners.
Margolin added that "the video would have no impact on the ongoing investigation" into Murder Inc.
The yet-to-be-released film stars Ja Rule and was produced by Kenneth McGriff, a convicted drug kingpin whose gang ruled the crack trade in Jamaica, Queens, in the mid-'80s.
The agency was acting on information Murder Inc. founder Irv Gotti started his label with drug money from McGriff.
