Latest news with #Survivor:SouthPacific
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Survivor's Brandon Hantz Arrested for Alleged Gang Activities
Well, here's one person we know for sure won't be on Survivor 50. Former castaway Brandon Hantz just got arrested for some serious charges, and the feds are accusing him of being a part of a motorcycle gang responsible for violent crime across Texas. If convicted, he could face up to 40 years in prison. Survivor fans will remember Brandon from his appearances on Survivor: South Pacific and Survivor: Caramoan. He's also the nephew of notorious Survivor villain Russell Hantz. With these latest allegations, Brandon is taking the term 'villain' to a whole different level. According to TMZ, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas hit Brandon and 13 others with a 22-count indictment. Allegedly, they're all a part of some motorcycle gang called the Bandidos. They've been roaming around Texas wreaking havoc. In the indictment, the Bandidos were said to have an intense rivalry with another gang called B*EAST. This isn't the fun type of beef between tribes like you'd see on Survivor. Supposedly, these gangs were ordered to assault each other on sight. In some cases, they were told to murder members of the rival gang when they crossed them. Although some of the Bandidos have been hit with murder and assault allegations, Brandon is facing relatively lesser charges. He has one charge of racketeering conspiracy and another for arson. It's not quite murder, but each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years. TMZ spoke with a federal law enforcement source, who said that Brandon's home was also raided by the FBI amid the indictment. However, his family claims that Brandon left the gang last year. Stay tuned to see what a judge has to say about that. Survivor is streaming on Paramount+. TELL US – DO YOU REMEMBER BRANDON FROM SURVIVOR? ARE YOU SURPRISED BY THE SERIOUS CHARGES HE'S FACING? The post Survivor's Brandon Hantz Arrested for Alleged Gang Activities appeared first on Reality Tea.
Los Angeles Times
20-02-2025
- Los Angeles Times
‘Survivor' alum Brandon Hantz charged in indictment against Bandidos motorcycle gang
'Survivor' alum Brandon K. Hantz is facing racketeering and arson charges after being named in a federal indictment connected to a violent, transnational motorcycle gang in southern Texas. The former reality star was indicted in Houston along with 13 other current and former members of the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang and Mascareros Motorcycle Club, the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas, said Wednesday in a statement. The 22-count indictment, unsealed Feb. 11, alleges that the Bandidos, a self-identified 'outlaw' motorcycle organization, allegedly engaged in a conspiracy to commit racketeering activity and committed violent crimes, including murder, attempted murder and assault. Hantz, 33, also known as Loco and Gun Drop, is charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering activity, as well as arson. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years on each count. The U.S. Attorney's Office said the indictment is 'an important step in eliminating' the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang. 'The Bandidos declare war on rivals — and they wage that war on our streets,' Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department's Criminal Division said in the news release. 'Criminal behavior like this has no place in America, and the Department of Justice is fully committed to bringing peace back to our communities.' The indictment alleges a violent turf war erupted in 2019 between the Bandidos and B*EAST, a rival motorcycle gang, in the Houston area. Federal prosecutors allege that the Bandidos' national leadership allegedly put out a 'smash on site' order to commit physical assaults, including murder, against B*EAST members. The turf war, they said, resulted in gunfire exchanged on public roadways and in public establishments with civilians present. 'Ensuring the safety of the public is SDTX's paramount concern,' U.S. Atty Nicholas J. Ganjei said. 'The indictment here not only alleges shocking crimes of violence, but also alleges that these offenses were committed openly and wantonly, where any innocent member of the public could have been hurt or killed.' The Bandidos allegedly have approximately 1,500 to 2,000 members in the United States and an additional 1,000 to 1,500 members internationally, including in Mexico, according to the the U.S. Attorney's Office. Several of the individuals named in the indictment are expected to make an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo on Wednesday at 2 p.m. It is not yet clear if Hantz will be among them. Representatives for the DOJ did not immediately respond to requests for confirmation. Hantz, the nephew of notorious 'Survivor' villain Russell Hantz, is from Crosby, Texas, and appeared in Season 23 of 'Survivor: South Pacific' in 2011 and in Season 26 of 'Survivor: Caramoan' in 2013. In the latter season, he infamously dumped his tribe's food reserves after an altercation with another cast member. According to TMZ, a family member said Hantz's home was raided Wednesday by the FBI and that he left the Bandidos last year.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Survivor' Alum Brandon Hantz Faces 40 Years In Prison After Federal Gang Takedown
Former contestant has been arrested on racketeering conspiracy and arson charges, while several of his alleged associates are facing murder charges in a sweeping federal indictment. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas unsealed a 22-count indictment on Wednesday, charging Brandon Hantz and 13 others with a variety of crimes. Prosecutors allege that the group is affiliated with the Bandidos motorcycle gang, a notorious organization engaged in a violent turf war with a rival gang known as B*EAST. According to federal prosecutors, the Bandidos allegedly issued a "smash on site" order against B*EAST members, instructing associates to assault and even murder anyone affiliated with the rival group. While Hantz, who the DOJ claims goes by the nicknames 'Loco' and 'Gun Drop," is not accused of assault or murder, he has been hit with two serious charges: racketeering conspiracy and arson, both of which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted. A federal law enforcement source confirmed to TMZ that Hantz was arrested in connection with the indictment. Meanwhile, a family member revealed that the FBI raided his home earlier today, despite claims that he had left the Bandidos last year. Hantz is best known for his time on "Survivor: South Pacific" and "Survivor: Caramoan," where his unpredictable and explosive gameplay made him a controversial figure. His most infamous moment came during "Survivor: Caramoan," when he dumped out his entire tribe's food supply after a heated altercation with fellow contestant Phillip Sheppard. Reality TV fans might also recognize the Hantz surname. Brandon is the nephew of Russell Hantz, one of the most infamous villains in "Survivor" history. In "Survivor"'s long and dramatic history, few contestants have left the game as chaotically as Brandon Hantz did in 2013 during "Survivor: Caramoan." During a heated confrontation with fellow contestant Phillip Sheppard, Hantz, then 21, let his emotions take over. In a fit of rage, he dumped out his entire tribe's supply of rice and beans while launching into a profanity-laced tirade against his tribemates. The meltdown created such a tense environment that, in an unprecedented move, Hantz's tribe refused to compete in the upcoming immunity challenge, instead opting to vote him out on the spot. It was a shocking and uncomfortable moment, leading many viewers to question whether Hantz was in the right mental space to handle the intensity of the game. Watching from home with his uncle Russell Hantz, Brandon's dramatic exit sparked immediate discussion within the Hantz family. 'He's young, impressionable, and he acts out when he gets mad,' Russell told PEOPLE, comparing his nephew's approach to his own cutthroat gameplay. 'When I get mad, I do things behind their back. Brandon did it to their face, and they really had no choice but to vote him off.' While Russell acknowledged that his nephew's actions sealed his fate, he also believes Brandon could have handled things differently. 'He shouldn't have dumped out the rice in front of everyone; he should have hidden it in the middle of the night," he added. Russell, known for his own ruthless strategies, emphasized that his villainous moves were always calculated. 'I did things when I played that were villainous, but they really did have a strategic purpose," he said. "I appreciate that Brandon wanted to stand up for himself, but he lost sight of the fact that this was a game for a million dollars.' Despite the backlash, Brandon insists he has no regrets about his "Survivor" experience. Speaking to PEOPLE, he maintained that while his outburst was extreme, he isn't crazy and was simply reacting to the pressures of the game. "A lot of people aren't interested to know what happened; they just want to make their own guesses of what really went down," he said at the time. "There was so much that happened that you never saw on TV." "People say that it's hard to watch, but I'm proud of myself and how I left the game. I don't know why people want to assume that something's wrong," he added. "I don't have mental problems."
USA Today
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
'Survivor' star Brandon Hantz arrested on racketeering, arson charges
Hear this story "Survivor" alum Brandon Hantz, who appeared twice on the show, has been arrested on charges of racketeering and arson. In a grand jury indictment, returned Feb. 11 and unsealed Wednesday, attorneys in the Southern District of Texas charge Hantz with belonging to "an allegedly violent, transnational motorcycle gang" known as the Bandidos. The ex-reality star was indicted alongside 13 other alleged Houston-area members, whose charges range from conspiracy to commit racketeering to murder, attempted murder and assault. Hantz, whose exit from his second go-round on the show propelled him to fandom infamy, was 19 years old when he first appeared on "Survivor: South Pacific" in 2011. He lasted 36 days on the show. The nephew of previous "Survivor" villain Russell Hantz, his emotional meltdown during "Survivor: Caramoan" the following year led to a much earlier elimination. Now 33, he faces up to 20 years in prison for his alleged involvement with the Bandidos. Referred to sometimes as "Gun Drop" or "Loco," according to a release from the Southern District of Texas, Hantz is the only defendant among the fourteen identified members charged with arson. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. The indictment alleges that, starting in 2019, the Bandidos and a rival Houston motorcycle gang B*EAST engaged in a violent turf war across Houston. An international organization with over 1,5000 members in both the U.S. and Mexico, the American leadership of the Bandidos allegedly released a "smash on site" order to carry out physical assaults, including murder, against B*EAST members. The result has been gunfire exchanged in public spaces like roadways and public establishments where innocent civilians are present, the indictment alleges. "The indictment here not only alleges shocking crimes of violence, but also alleges that these offenses were committed openly and wantonly, where any innocent member of the public could have been hurt or killed," U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei said in a release Wednesday. "The Bandidos declare war on rivals — and they wage that war on our streets," Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department's Criminal Division said in the release. "Criminal behavior like this has no place in America, and the Department of Justice is fully committed to bringing peace back to our communities."
