Latest news with #TyroneBlackburn
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fat Joe's Attorney Responds After Lawyer Tyrone Blackburn's Arrest For Assault On Process Server
On Monday (June 23), Fat Joe's legal team confirmed that attorney Tyrone Blackburn — who is representing Terrance Dixon, Joe's ex-hypeman — was arrested and charged with second-degree assault. The charge stems from an incident where Blackburn reportedly struck a process server with his vehicle while attempting to dodge being served with legal documents. According to Joe's lawyer, Joe Tacopina, the moment unfolded as a process server approached Blackburn to deliver a lawsuit tied to an April 2025 filing. Rather than accept the papers, Blackburn allegedly tried to flee the scene, hitting the server with his car in the process. Although he was ultimately served, Blackburn's decision to resort to physical evasion has now landed him in cuffs. In the suit filed earlier this year by Joe, it names both Blackburn and Dixon, accusing them of extortion, defamation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. At the heart of the claim is a demand letter sent to Joe in March, in which Blackburn and Dixon alleged that Dixon had served as a 'ghostwriter and uncredited vocalist' on several of Fat Joe's songs and asked for payment. The 'Lean Back' rapper's legal team dismissed the demands as fraudulent, but received a second complaint threatening a lawsuit packed with what Fat Joe's lawyers called 'false and outrageous allegations,' including claims of statutory rape, sex trafficking, and fraud. Once a warrant was issued for Blackburn's arrest, the lawyer and Dixon filed a retaliatory lawsuit against the rapper, a move Joe's team says was just another calculated effort to smear his name. Tacopina spoke with VIBE about the recent arrest, stating that the news came as no surprise. 'Our team's reaction is that it's not a surprise at all,' Tacopina said. 'Normally, a lawyer getting arrested would be sort of shocking. Here, it's not shocking at all, because it's just the latest example of his conduct. His malicious, manipulative conduct — or misconduct — that's what I'll call it … he's an embarrassment to the legal community, he really is.' Tacopina referenced past disciplinary concerns raised by federal judges, citing patterns of behavior he believes demonstrate a bad legal strategy. 'Two federal judges have recently excoriated him. The way he'll file a suit almost just to embarrass someone, to get publicity for himself, to get money, and then the suit falls flat on its face.' According to Tacopina, the conduct surrounding the case further calls Blackburn's credibility into question. 'Unfortunately for him, he's run to the wrong defendant and wrong defense team, because we're not going to puss around, the truth will come out here and he's going to wind up in a very difficult position.' In terms of potential courtroom impact, Tacopina believes Blackburn's legal history may play a role. 'I think the judge will have taken into consideration all the conduct of the lawyers before the court, because that's just part of the credibility of any advocate,' he said. 'If a federal judge wrote about me, what she wrote about him, I would quit law. I'd go make espressos at Starbucks or something. I would die. But, he's just oblivious to this stuff.' Tacopina pointed to the arrest as further reflection of Blackburn's character. Despite the accusations and media attention, Tacopina said the Terror Squad boss is in good spirits and focused on moving forward. 'Joe's a great guy, I've known him for a long time. As we say, tough times don't last, tough people do,' he said. 'This is not fun for anyone to go through, even if it's completely false, which it is. But, he still has to go through it.' He added, 'I spoke to him today, he was very positive, he has got a good outlook. But this is something now he has to deal with, false allegations from someone who has zero credibility and does things just to garner publicity for himself.' As for the case itself, Tacopina firmly believes there is no legal risk to his client. 'He's not going to be found liable. There's no scenario where Joe would be found liable in this case. An allegation is just an allegation, especially a civil allegation,' he continued. 'This is just some guy making a claim to get money. But yet that being said, it's still very difficult for him, because he's got all these deals with different companies, and he's the face of different things.' Tacopina concluded by casting doubt on the defendants' ability to cover any potential financial fallout, as well. 'There are damages that are piling up, and I don't know where Tyrone Blackburn, and Mr. Dixon are going to get the money to pay Joe back, because I'm sure together they don't have enough to cover any of the damages.' The arrest is also not Blackburn's first. In April 2024, Judge Denise Cote of the Southern District of New York referred him to the grievance committee for allegedly filing cases in federal court not to seek justice, but to bring media attention and pressure settlements with sensational claims. Just a month before Joe's initial lawsuit, Judge J. Paul Oetken also took issue with Blackburn's behavior, citing 'inaccurate statements of law' and 'irrelevant insults, misstatements, and exaggerations' in his legal filings. More from Fat Joe Sued For $20M By Ex-Hypeman Alleging Sex Acts With Minors, Psychological Coercion, And More Fat Joe, Jadakiss, REFORM Alliance, And Sei Less Host Father's Day Lunch For Families Impacted By Criminal Justice System Former NBA Star Shawn Kemp Pleads Guilty To Assault Charge For 2023 Shooting
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rapper Fat Joe's Sex With Minor Case Takes A Shocking Turn With Lawyer's Arrest
The attorney leveling scathing claims against Fat Joe on behalf of a former employee just got himself in trouble with the law. Tyrone Blackburn, the lawyer representing Terrance Dixon, has been arrested for assault just days after he filed a $20 million lawsuit against the rapper. The legal complaint featured numerous accusations, including claims of Fat Joe being a pedophile and allegedly attempting to murder 50 Cent. Fat Joe's issues with Dixon took a shocking turn on Wednesday, June 25, when his accuser's attorney was arrested. A rep for the New York Police Department confirmed the news, noting Blackburn was taken into custody in the morning and booked for assault. Although he was recently arrested, the lawyer's legal drama started last month following a violence report. According to the rep, the incident occurred on the night of May 12 when Blackburn met a 66-year-old messenger hired by the rapper's attorney, Joe Tacopina. The older messenger had been hired to serve Blackburn with a complaint in Joe's case, but the legal rep did not react positively to the news. TMZ reported that he allegedly jumped into his car, pushed it in reverse, and backed up, hitting the server in the leg and causing a minor injury. Blackburn's arrest comes days after he filed a scathing lawsuit against Fat Joe on behalf of his former employee, Dixon. They sued the rapper for $20 million, alleging that he was a pedophile and owed Dixon money for co-written songs, among other claims. Before this lawsuit became public, the rapper's attorney, Tacopina, alleged that Blackburn had initially sent a demand letter for $3 million. The lawyer claimed his client was owed the sum for allegedly co-writing music with the Hip-Hop star. However, Tacopina brushed off the claim. The 54-year-old's legal rep noted that Blackburn did not accept his refusal and sent another demand letter with pedophile allegations. These letters pushed Tacopina to file a defamation and extortion lawsuit against Blackburn and Dixon, leading to the May incident between the older messenger and the lawyer. The Blast covered Dixon's allegations against the hip-hop star, reporting that he accused him of having inappropriate relationships with minors. The lawsuit alleged that at least two underage females had sexual relationships with the rapper, while the third was in a romantic relationship with him. According to the claims, a 16-year-old girl of Dominican descent once offered to perform oral sex and other sexual acts on the rapper if he paid her clothing and phone bills. He also had an alleged sexual affair with a 15-year-old Caucasian girl after meeting her at a concert abroad. Dixon accused Joe of paying for this girl's BBL because her body wasn't fully developed, claiming he regularly flew her to New York and Miami. He added that the Caucasian girl had grown up to marry a professional athlete. As for the third underage, the rapper fell head over heels for the Latina. Dixon claimed the hitmaker was so in love with the underage Latina girl that a sexual relationship between them began when she was 15. He allegedly paid all her expenses and took her aboard whenever he was on tour. Additionally, Fat Joe bought the girl a condo near where he and his wife lived in Florida and allegedly considered leaving his partner to move in with the young girl. Dixon claimed the rapper was not only a pedophile but had also forced him to sleep with women before an audience. However, Joe's corner has vehemently denied the allegations. His legal rep, Tacopina, slammed the lawsuit as "lies intended to damage his reputation and force a settlement through public pressure." The rapper also received 50 Cent's support after he was name-dropped in the legal drama. Besides accusing Fat Joe of pedophilia, Dixon claimed the entertainer had considered murdering 50 Cent during their feud in the early 2000s. His allegations, per Hiphopdx, read: "[Fat Joe] engaged in a calculated and premeditated conspiracy to murder rapper Curtis Jackson. But 50 Cent was surrounded by 'Navy Seal' type security, and the would-be assassins were afraid to make the attempt." Despite Dixon's claims, 50 Cent called BS in a heated social media post defending Fat Joe. The "Candy Shop" hitmaker stressed that he did not believe the allegations, labeling them "baseless" and "not credible." He also sympathized with Fat Joe, noting he did not deserve "the public scrutiny and damage to his reputation."
The Independent
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Attorney for Fat Joe's former hype man accused of hitting man delivering legal documents with his vehicle
An attorney representing the former hype man of rapper Fat Joe has been arrested and accused of hitting a man with his car who was delivering legal documents in the latest installment of a messy legal saga. Attorney Tyrone Blackburn, who is representing Terrance 'T.A.' Dixon in the case against the rapper, was served with a legal complaint from Fat Joe's team on May 12 in New York. He's accused of putting his car in reverse and hitting the 66-year-old process server in the leg, according to TMZ. The New York Police Department confirmed Blackburn was taken into custody Wednesday morning and booked for assault after the process server went to the police. Blackburn is representing Dixon in seeking $20 million in damages from Fat Joe, born Joseph Antonio Cartagena, accusing the rapper of engaging in 'coercive labor exploitation, financial fraud, sexual manipulation, violent intimidation, and psychological coercion.' Fat Joe denies the allegations and hit back against the lawsuit with his own, alleging extortion, defamation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. These were reportedly the documents being served to Blackburn when the alleged assault took place. The Independent has contacted Blackburn for comment. Fat Joe's attorney, Joe Tacopina, told Vibe that Blackburn's arrest 'is not a surprise at all.' 'Normally, a lawyer getting arrested would be sort of shocking. Here, it's not shocking at all, because it's just the latest example of his conduct,' Tacopina said. 'His malicious, manipulative conduct — or misconduct — that's what I'll call it … he's an embarrassment to the legal community, he really is.' Blackburn's arrest is the latest incident that stems from the complex legal fight between Dixon and Fat Joe. Dixon served as Fat Joe's hype man for 16 years, energizing the crowd before and during performances. In his $20 million lawsuit against Fat Joe, Dixon alleged the rapper forced him 'into humiliating situations, including sex acts performed under duress and surveillance, accompanied by threats of abandonment in foreign countries if [he] refused compliance.' Dixon further alleged 'he was coerced into more than 4,000 sexual acts to maintain his standing within the Enterprise.' The lawsuit also alleged that Dixon 'personally witnessed [Fat Joe] engage in sexual relations with children who were 15 and 16 years old,' which the rapper denies. 'Fat Joe is Sean Combs minus the Tusi,' Blackburn previously told The Independent. 'He learned nothing from his 2013 federal conviction,' Blackburn continued, referring to Fat Joe's four months behind bars for failing to file income tax returns. Fat Joe's lawyer told The Independent the claims from Dixon and Blackburn are 'a desperate attempt to deflect attention from the civil suit we filed first, which exposed their coordinated scheme to extort Mr. Cartagena through lies, threats, and manufactured allegations.' Tacopina also said that Blackburn is the subject of a pending referral to the Southern District's disciplinary committee. 'Law enforcement is aware of the extortionate demand at the heart of this scheme,' he said.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fat Joe denies sex acts with minors after former hype man's $20 million lawsuit
Rapper Fat Joe has denied allegations he engaged in sex acts with minors after the claims were made in a lawsuit filed by his former hype man, Terrance 'T.A.' Dixon. Born Joseph Antonio Cartagena, Fat Joe has been accused by Dixon of engaging in 'coercive labor exploitation, financial fraud, sexual manipulation, violent intimidation, and psychological coercion.' Dixon is seeking up to $20 million in damages. 'Fat Joe is Sean Combs minus the Tusi,' Dixon's attorney, Tyrone Blackburn told The Independent. 'He learned nothing from his 2013 federal conviction,' Blackburn continued, referring to Fat Joe's four months behind bars for failing to file income tax returns. In a statement to The Independent late Thursday, Fat Joe's lawyer Joe Tacopina called the claims 'complete fabrications'. 'The lawsuit filed by Tyrone Blackburn and Terrance Dixon is a blatant act of retaliation,' Tacopina said. He added, 'The allegations against Mr. Cartagena are complete fabrications — lies intended to damage his reputation and force a settlement through public pressure. Mr. Cartagena will not be intimidated. We have taken legal action to expose this fraudulent campaign and hold everyone involved accountable.' Filed in the U.S. District Court Southern District of New York and viewed by The Independent, Dixon's 157-page document contained a content warning, due to the graphic nature of the claims, in bold red font. Dixon served as Fat Joe's hype man for 16 years, energizing the crowd before and during performances. In the lawsuit, Dixon alleged Fat Joe forced him 'into humiliating situations, including sex acts performed under duress and surveillance, accompanied by threats of abandonment in foreign countries if [he] refused compliance.' Dixon further alleged 'he was coerced into more than 4,000 sexual acts to maintain his standing within the Enterprise.' Dixon's lawsuit also alleged he faced 'a wide spectrum of sexual coercion, psychological control, forced exhibitionism, and surveillance-based humiliation, including being compelled to perform sex acts under observation, being filmed, or directed by [Fat Joe] in the presence of others — tactics designed to control Plaintiff's body, erode his autonomy, and ensure silence.' 'These sex-based abuses were not private, incidental, or isolated. They were integral to the enterprise's culture of dominance and humiliation, enforced by Defendant's associates such as Pistol Pete, JB, and others, and sustained across numerous tour locations including Miami, North Carolina, Germany, Spain, and Wisconsin,' the complaint continued. Dixon also alleged that he 'personally witnessed [Fat Joe] engage in sexual relations with children who were 15 and 16 years old,' listing three Jane Does who 'in exchange for cash, clothing, and payment of her cell phone bill … would [perform] oral sex and other sexual acts' on the rapper. The three minors included a 16-year-old Dominican girl in New York, a non-U.S. Caucasian female, and a Latina female who 'met the defendant when she was 15 years old, turning 16,' according to the documents. '[Fat Joe] began having sexual relations with Minor Doe 2 when she was 15 years old after a concert overseas. Defendant flew Minor Doe 2 to New York City and Miami, Florida, on multiple occasions. Due to Minor Doe 2's body being adolescent and not fully formed, Defendant paid for her to get a Brazilian Butt Lift. Minor Doe 2 eventually left Defendant and is now married to a professional athlete,' the complaint stated. The documents further state that Fat Joe was 'in love' with the third minor and claim the rapper thought about leaving his wife. 'The Defendant paid all Minor Doe 3's bills and even took her overseas to his tour stops. He brought her to Florida and would put her up in a condo he rented a few blocks from his house with his wife,' the lawsuit stated. 'In a recorded conversation, Minor Doe 3 and her 15-year-old cousin describe in detail to Plaintiff how 'inappropriate' it was for Defendant, who was in his late 30s at the time, to be fawning over children.' Dixon claimed that incidents occurred on Market America's corporate yacht as well as its mansion properties, where Fat Joe 'orchestrated repeated orgies involving Plaintiff, female dancers and minors.' He also alleged that the rapper used his star status to force Dixon and others into 'degrading sexual performances,' often while he watched or directed. 'These incidents occurred under conditions that included the presence of corporate security staff, surveillance cameras, and Defendant's management entourage, yet no intervention occurred, supporting the inference that these acts were facilitated by — and covered up by — the broader enterprise and its affiliates,' the complaint continued. '[Dixon] did not willingly consent to participate in these acts; instead, Plaintiff submitted solely out of fear of immediate retaliation, which Defendant repeatedly demonstrated would include financial punishment, professional sabotage, abandonment in foreign countries, or physical harm.' In addition to Fat Joe, the lawsuit also named Pete 'Pistol Pete' Torres and Richard 'Rich Player' Jospitre, who were labeled as key associates the rapper's 'criminal enterprise.' Rapper Jay-Z's Roc Nation is also named, with the suit claiming the company aided in 'concealing, transferring, and manipulating' Dixon's authorship rights and royalty interests and attempted to interfere with the claims against Fat Joe, Torres and Jospitre. Roc Nation represents Fat Joe. Dixon's lawsuit comes months after Fat Joe sued his former hype man for social media slander. Dixon had claimed that Fat Joe flew a minor girl across state lines to engage in sex acts. Dixon's lawyer, Tyrone Blackburn, was also named in that suit. Fat Joe's lawyer told The Independent the claims from Dixon and Blackburn are, 'a desperate attempt to deflect attention from the civil suit we filed first, which exposed their coordinated scheme to extort Mr. Cartagena through lies, threats, and manufactured allegations.' Tacopina added, 'We didn't just sue a disgruntled former employee trying to revive a false claim from 15 years ago — we sued the lawyer behind it all. Tyrone Blackburn has a well-documented pattern of abusing the courts to harass defendants and generate media attention. Two separate federal judges have condemned his conduct — one for filing headline-chasing lawsuits full of salacious and baseless claims, and another for making repeated legal misstatements and personal attacks in court filings.' Tacopina said Blackburn is the subject of a pending referral to the Southern District's disciplinary committee. 'Law enforcement is aware of the extortionate demand at the heart of this scheme,' he said. Dixon though, is prepared for the legal fight. 'This is the right way to fight Joe — through the system. You can't fight him no other way,' Dixon told Variety. 'Joe think he's a god. Joe thinks he's untouchable.'
