Online Rap Bragging About $24M Scam Leads To BK Gang Bust: Feds

BROOKLYN, NY — Brooklyn gang members who clutched cash and bragged in an online rap video "unemployment got us workin’ a lot" have been arrested for a scam to embezzle $24 million from federal job-loss relief funds, prosecutors announced Thursday.

Eleven men tied to Brooklyn's Woo gang now face federal charges for embezzling COVID relief cash at the height of the pandemic, according to Brooklyn federal court prosecutors.

“The defendants conspired to steal millions of dollars in pandemic- related unemployment assistance," said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said. "Then brazenly flaunted the proceeds of their crimes on social media."

The gang members managed to rake in $4.3 million in unemployment benefits — meant for those suffering during the coronavirus pandemic — and tried to get another $20 million by stealing more than 800 identities of people across the country, prosecutors said.

“It was me and Porter, we was huggin’ the block," sang Woo gang members in a "Trappin" video, referring to one of the leaders' nicknames. "Unemployment got us workin’ a lot."

Throughout the scheme, the men bragged about their money on social media, flashing gang signs and posing in front of luxury cars, prosecutors said.

Investigators tracked down the fraudsters by searching email addresses or Brooklyn addresses used in the unemployment applications, many of which were the personal addresses of the gang members, according to court documents.

Law enforcement also caught the gang members using bank cards for the unemployment accounts in ATM photos, including several at East New York's Gateway Shopping Center, documents show.

At least three times, authorities found the physical bank cards when pulling the gang members over in unrelated traffic stops, records show. In one stop, Tyler Clarke, who lives in Florida, was stopped in Miami and ended up crashing into a cop car when trying to switch seats with his passenger, documents show.

Clarke is one of two of the men charged this week who are not from Brooklyn. All but one of the men were arrested Thursday, prosecutors said.

The arrests are the second time in the last few years that authorities have busted members of the Woo gang, which is based largely in Brownsville and Canarsie, according to court documents and the past arrests. In early 2020, 34 members of the gang were charged in connection with several shootings in the borough.

Here are details about those charged Thursday:

ROMEAN BROWN Age: 23
Los Angeles, California

TYREK CLARKE Age: 21
Miami, Florida

KENNITH DESIR Age: 20
Brooklyn, New York

STEPHAN DORMINVIL Age: 21
Brooklyn, New York

KAI HEYWARD Age: 22
Brooklyn, New York

KEITH JAMES Age: 20
Brooklyn, New York

ONEAL MARKS Age: 20
Brooklyn, New York

JAHRIAH OLIVIERRE Age: 22
Brooklyn, New York

CHRISTOPHER JEAN PIERRE Age: 21
Brooklyn, New York

ROLEEKE SMITH Age: 20
Brooklyn, New York

CHRISTOPHER TOPEY Age: 21
Brooklyn, New York