Latest news with #AmericanGangster
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs' connection to a famous gangster is part of his family lore
As the federal criminal trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs continues, many parts of his past are being revisited. That includes his father's friendship with the late gangster, Frank Lucas. Melvin Combs was a drug dealer who was fatally shot in 1972, when his son Sean Combs was three years old. 'That's not something I glorify, but he was in Harlem and he was doing his thing, selling narcotics,' Combs told journalist Toure in an interview 13 years ago. 'And we all know what that gets you. That's only going to have you end up in jail or dead. It is the reason why I didn't follow in those footsteps.' In that interview, Combs was clear that his father did not work for either Lucas or another famed Harlem gangster, Nicky Barnes, but rather was 'as big as them' in the hustling game. The younger Combs didn't shy away from his father's history. 'I'm definitely like him,' Combs said. 'But I'm just doing it in a legal way.' Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges that include racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution in an ongoing federal criminal trial in Manhattan. His mother, Janice Combs, had initially told her son his father had died in a car crash. He told Toure he found out what his father had been involved with on his own. 'This was before the internet and I had looked up my father's name and I saw an article about my mother wearing a full length chinchilla [a fur coat] to a funeral and taking me and I was in a mink,' Combs recalled. 'And that was like the story of just the glamour and like the decadence of our family and just like he was the kingpin, you know, of Harlem and how he had got assassinated.' He said he understood why his mother hadn't initially been honest with him about his dad. Due to where they were living when he was growing up, Combs said he believes he would have become 'one of the biggest drug dealers out there because…the type of person I would have wanted to follow in my father's footsteps.' Melvin Combs had a connection to Frank Lucas, a famous drug lord in Harlem during his heyday in the 1960s and 1970s. Lucas was famously portrayed by Denzel Washington in the 2007 film 'American Gangster.' He was sentenced to 70 years in prison after being convicted of federal drug charges in New York and state charges in New Jersey, but only served seven before turning informant and going into the Witness Protection Program, according to the New York Times. Lucas emerged in later years to share his story and during an interview with Vlad TV said he and Melvin Combs were 'good friends.' 'We did a lot of business together,' Lucas said. 'Of course it was not legal business, but we did a lot of business together.' Lucas expressed sadness regarding the elder Combs' murder and said he met Sean Combs when he was a little boy. 'His daddy used to bring him over my house,' Lucas said. 'He used to come see me on various business and he would bring him over my house.' Lucas added that about a year prior to the Vlad TV interview, he had connected with Combs, who was seeking information about his late father. 'I told him something about his father, but I didn't give him the whole story because he didn't press me,' Lucas said. 'He just asked me casually and I told him casually. But if he had pressed me, I would have told him the whole story.' Combs told Toure that the world didn't know the whole story about him. 'People don't really know me,' the Bad Boy Record founder said at the time. 'And that's by design.' 'Who is this person, the Sean Combs that we don't know,' Toure pressed. 'We have yet to find out,' Combs responded. 'You have to come along for the ride.'
CNN
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs' connection to a famous gangster is part of his family lore
As the federal criminal trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs continues, many parts of his past are being revisited. That includes his father's friendship with the late gangster, Frank Lucas. Melvin Combs was a drug dealer who was fatally shot in 1972, when his son Sean Combs was three years old. 'That's not something I glorify, but he was in Harlem and he was doing his thing, selling narcotics,' Combs told journalist Toure in an interview 13 years ago. 'And we all know what that gets you. That's only going to have you end up in jail or dead. It is the reason why I didn't follow in those footsteps.' In that interview, Combs was clear that his father did not work for either Lucas or another famed Harlem gangster, Nicky Barnes, but rather was 'as big as them' in the hustling game. The younger Combs didn't shy away from his father's history. 'I'm definitely like him,' Combs said. 'But I'm just doing it in a legal way.' Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges that include racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution in an ongoing federal criminal trial in Manhattan. His mother, Janice Combs, had initially told her son his father had died in a car crash. He told Toure he found out what his father had been involved with on his own. 'This was before the internet and I had looked up my father's name and I saw an article about my mother wearing a full length chinchilla [a fur coat] to a funeral and taking me and I was in a mink,' Combs recalled. 'And that was like the story of just the glamour and like the decadence of our family and just like he was the kingpin, you know, of Harlem and how he had got assassinated.' He said he understood why his mother hadn't initially been honest with him about his dad. Due to where they were living when he was growing up, Combs said he believes he would have become 'one of the biggest drug dealers out there because…the type of person I would have wanted to follow in my father's footsteps.' Melvin Combs had a connection to Frank Lucas, a famous drug lord in Harlem during his heyday in the 1960s and 1970s. Lucas was famously portrayed by Denzel Washington in the 2007 film 'American Gangster.' He was sentenced to 70 years in prison after being convicted of federal drug charges in New York and state charges in New Jersey, but only served seven before turning informant and going into the Witness Protection Program, according to the New York Times. Lucas emerged in later years to share his story and during an interview with Vlad TV said he and Melvin Combs were 'good friends.' 'We did a lot of business together,' Lucas said. 'Of course it was not legal business, but we did a lot of business together.' Lucas expressed sadness regarding the elder Combs' murder and said he met Sean Combs when he was a little boy. 'His daddy used to bring him over my house,' Lucas said. 'He used to come see me on various business and he would bring him over my house.' Lucas added that about a year prior to the Vlad TV interview, he had connected with Combs, who was seeking information about his late father. 'I told him something about his father, but I didn't give him the whole story because he didn't press me,' Lucas said. 'He just asked me casually and I told him casually. But if he had pressed me, I would have told him the whole story.' Combs told Toure that the world didn't know the whole story about him. 'People don't really know me,' the Bad Boy Record founder said at the time. 'And that's by design.' 'Who is this person, the Sean Combs that we don't know,' Toure pressed. 'We have yet to find out,' Combs responded. 'You have to come along for the ride.'
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Suveillance of WMass. man leads to fentanyl trafficking charge
SPRINGFIELD — After attaching a GPS to his car and trailing him as he traveled to New York City, federal investigators say a Western Massachusetts man trafficked fentanyl in bags branded with names like 'Trump,' 'Top Tier' and 'American Gangster.' Kristian Morales, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court of Massachusetts in Springfield on Thursday, had allegedly been distributing heroin and fentanyl in Springfield, Chicopee and Holyoke since at least March. Court records showed Morales was arrested that day. The documents did not detail Morales' age or where he is from. Linus Nkansah, one of special federal officers with the FBI that was investigating Morales, detailed the bureau's two month investigation into him in a 34-page criminal complaint. Nkansah said members of the FBI's Western Massachusetts Gang Task Force worked with a cooperating confidential witness to observe Morales as he interacted with the witness and other people and to make controlled purchases. The FBI also received permission from a federal judge to track Morales' vehicle with a GPS device, according to the complaint. The Massachusetts State Police Air Wing, as part of the investigation, observed Morales as he traveled in the area. At one point, Nkansah followed Morales from Massachusetts to the Bronx, New York, and watched as he met with people there and allegedly handed off drugs to them. Nkansah said Morales took multiple similar trips to New York and believed he was re-upping his supply of the drugs. Upon returning from New York, the investigator said he and his task force witnessed Morales immediately selling the product. 'Based on my training and experience, it is common and consistent behavior of a drug dealer to make sales immediately following obtaining a re-supply of illegal drugs,' said Nkansah in the complaint. During the federal investigation, Nkansah said 'more than 40 grams of fentanyl' were involved. On May 12, Judge Katherine A. Robertson ordered setting the conditions for Morales' release from prison with conditions: He must not break any laws, he must cooperate in giving a DNA sample, he must notify the court if he changes his phone number or address, and he must appear in court at any future hearing. Morales is being represented by attorney Thomas J. O'Connor, Jr., a public defender for the federal court. O'Connor did not immediately respond to a phone call for comment. The U.S. is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Newhouse, who also did not respond to a request for comment. According to that document, Morales has agreed to the terms. His next hearing is scheduled for May 27. Springfield informational meeting about the 'X' construction scheduled for Wednesday Council votes to support MGM Springfield union Springfield protests loss of $20M federal grant to protect environment Mount Holyoke union calls for improved wages, immigrant protections Read the original article on MassLive.
Edinburgh Live
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Hollywood star's gangster film with 'best ever' performance to leave Amazon Prime in days
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Under the helm of Hollywood icon Ridley Scott, known for masterpieces like Alien and Gladiator, the 2007 film American Gangster is set to depart Amazon Prime, prompting fans to shower it with accolades. This biographical crime thriller, directed by Scott, delves into the real-life story of notorious drug kingpin Frank Lucas. The movie is rooted in Lucas's illicit exploits, specifically his cunning strategy of smuggling heroin into the U.S. during the Vietnam War era. The infamous gangster leveraged American military planes returning from the war to transport his narcotics, a scheme that continued until his eventual capture and imprisonment. Notoriously, Lucas once bragged about concealing heroin within the coffins of deceased servicemen - a shocking tactic that ultimately led to his 70-year prison sentence. While the film takes creative liberties with certain aspects of Lucas's life, it vividly portrays the harsh realities of mob life in 1970s America. According to a Rotten Tomatoes review: "The pacing starts slow but keeps you hooked. It captures the grime and glamour of the '70s, the mobsters who ran the streets, and the few "untouchable" cops resistant to the corruption running deep in drug enforcement. "At its core, it's an action-packed drama about two men on opposite sides of the law: one building an empire through crime, the other a determined detective fighting against the odds to take him down", reports Surrey Live. Echoing this sentiment, another viewer shared: "Similar ground to the tale of the rise and fall of a gangster; however, this is one of the best to do it, and Denzel's performance is very good. (Image: Unknown) "The music choices, the settings and the story of Lucas caught my fancy. It may not pack the same level of violence and tension as other gangster films, but it's without doubt an impressive movie," another fan added. Denzel Washington stars as the infamous mobster in the flick, with Russell Crowe playing against him, and audiences are praising Washington's convincing act. His stellar performance earned him plaudits and nominations from the Golden Globe Awards to the BAFTAs, while the film itself snagged nods in several categories. One review raved: "Best Denzel Washington movie by a country mile. Outstanding performance. Chuck in Russell Crowe at the very top of his game. Finally, a brilliant true story. Mix it all together and bingo, a CLASSIC ! ! ! ! !". Meanwhile, another viewer remarked: "Outstanding performances by Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe put this film among the top films of this genre." More than 15 years after its release, the movie still boasts a solid 81% aggregate score on the review site. Film enthusiasts will be stunned to discover that it is due to depart from Amazon Prime on June 3, leaving those who haven't seen it yet with only a few days remaining.
Daily Record
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Forgotten gangster film but fans have just days to watch on Amazon Prime
American Gangster was released in 2007 and has been on the streaming platform for a while, but fans don't have long left to watch it Ridley Scott, the acclaimed director behind Alien and Gladiator, has another masterpiece that's about to exit Amazon Prime. His 2007 film, American Gangster, is a biographical crime thriller that delves into the life of notorious drug lord Frank Lucas. The film, based on Lucas's criminal exploits, details how he smuggled heroin into the U.S. during the Vietnam War. Lucas infamously used American service planes returning from the war to transport his drugs until his eventual capture. He even claimed to have hidden heroin in the coffins of fallen servicemen before being sentenced to 70 years in prison. While the film does fictionalise some aspects of Lucas's life, it paints a vivid picture of mob life in 1970s America. A review on Rotten Tomatoes says: "The pacing starts slow but keeps you hooked. It captures the grime and glamour of the '70s, the mobsters who ran the streets, and the few "untouchable" cops resistant to the corruption running deep in drug enforcement." The film tells the story of two men on opposite sides of the law, with one building a crime empire and the other a determined detective trying to bring him down. One fan commented: "Similar ground to the tale of the rise and fall of a gangster; however, this is one of the best to do it, and Denzel's performance is very good", reports Surrey Live. Viewers praised the film's music, settings, and story, with one saying: "I loved the music choices, the settings and the story of Lucas. However, it lacks the violence and tension other gangster flicks drum up better; however, this is still an incredible movie." Denzel Washington's performance as the notorious gangster earned him numerous award nominations, including Golden Globes and BAFTAs. The film itself was also nominated across several categories. One reviewer wrote: "Best Denzel Washington movie by a country mile. Outstanding performance. Chuck in Russell Crowe at the very top of his game. Finally, a brilliant true story. Mix it all together and bingo, a CLASSIC ! ! ! ! !". Another fan agreed, saying: "Outstanding performances by Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe put this film among the top films of this genre." Despite being released over 15 years ago, the film still holds an impressive 81% overall rating on the review site. Fans of the film will be taken aback to discover that it is scheduled to depart from Amazon Prime on June 3, leaving those who haven't seen it yet with only a few days.
