Rapper Cash Out has been sentenced to life in prison plus 70 years after being found guilty in his RICO and sexual assault case.
Cash Out, born John Gibson, was found guilty on Friday in his Atlanta trial. He was sentenced to life in prison for his rape charge as well as an additional 70 years for RICO and his other convictions, according to WSB-TV Atlanta. The sentences will be concurrent.
The Atlanta emcee experienced moderate success in the early 2010s, with his 2012 debut single, “Cashin’ Out,” reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Rap Airplay chart. He scored another hit with “She Twerkin” two years later, when he also released his sole album, “Let’s Get It.”
Alongside his sentencing, his mother Linda Smith was also sentenced to 30 years on RICO charges, while his cousin Tyrone Taylor was given life in prison plus 70 years.
The trial, which began two months ago, concerned allegations that Cash Out, his mother and cousin coerced and forced women into sex work over the course of several years. They were accused of exploiting women for profit, with prosecutors using evidence that included text messages from eight cellphones.
Charges were initially brought in June 2023 against Cash Out, who allegedly leveraged his celebrity status to commit his crimes. His legal team argued that the victims were bullied into testifying against him, while the prosecution claimed that he had engaged in a “seven-year reign of terror.”
“This has been going on for seven years,” said Fulton County prosecutor Earnell Winfrey during the trial. “This ain’t just straight pimping—this is trafficking.”