A Georgia judge has ordered state authorities to return luxury vehicles, jewelry and more than $149,000 in cash seized from Young Thug, delivering another setback to prosecutors after the collapse of the high-profile YSL racketeering case.
Judge Paige Reese Whitaker ruled Wednesday that the state must return most of the property taken from the rapper during the long-running investigation tied to the Young Slime Life case. The order requires the items to be returned by Friday at 5 p.m., concluding that the state no longer had legal grounds to retain them.
The property includes a 2022 Chevrolet Corvette, a 2022 Porsche 911, three Mercedes-Benz vehicles, a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee, a 2018 Lamborghini, a Can-Am Spyder, multiple pieces of jewelry and approximately $149,000 in cash. The assets were seized during the racketeering investigation led by the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office.
The ruling followed arguments from defense attorney Brian Steele, who said the state failed to meet the legal requirement to hold a civil forfeiture hearing within 60 days of the rapper’s October 2024 plea agreement. Judge Whitaker determined the forfeiture complaint had been dismissed and that prosecutors failed to cite legal authority allowing continued possession of the property.
Young Thug, whose legal name is Jeffery Williams, was released from jail on Oct. 31, 2024, after entering guilty pleas to one gang charge, three drug charges and two gun charges. He also entered no-contest pleas to racketeering conspiracy and an additional gang charge. Although he received a 40-year sentence, he was released on time served after spending more than two years in custody while awaiting trial. The sentence includes 15 years of probation and strict limitations on his presence in metro Atlanta, with limited exceptions for family-related events.
The YSL case began in May 2022 when Fani Willis announced indictments against Young Thug and 27 others. Prosecutors alleged Young Slime Life was a violent street gang connected to the Bloods and claimed criminal activity was linked to Young Thug’s record label, Young Stoner Life.
The prosecution became increasingly troubled over time, marked by allegations of misconduct, judicial recusals and procedural missteps that ultimately led to the original judge stepping aside. Several defendants accepted plea agreements, including rapper Gunna, who entered an Alford plea in 2022.
The case formally concluded in December 2024 when the final defendants, Deamonte Kendrick, known as Yak Gotti, and Shannon Stillwell were acquitted of nearly all charges, including murder. The outcome left the state without any murder convictions after what became Georgia’s longest criminal trial, and the forfeiture ruling further underscores the prosecution’s unraveling.
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