A former confident and associate of James “Jimmy Henchman” Rosemond took the stand today (May 15) and testified against his former friend. Kahlil Abdullah, 38, is cooperating with the federal government in the case against Rosemond, who is accused of being the mastermind of a $10 million-a-year cocaine operation.
Abdullah appeared in court in a blue prison top and testified against Rosemond, who sat across from him in a neatly pressed blue suit.During the testimony, Kahlil Abdullah laid out the structure of the drug operation, which was allegedly moving up to 100 kilograms of cocaine per week, from 2007 until 2011.
Abdullah walked through the Rosemond organization’s hierarchy, breaking down the entire structure for the jury.
According to Abdullah, the organizations’ employed “catchers,” who picked up packages of drugs and money and delivered them to Rosemond’s associates.
“Packers” packaged the drugs at stash houses for shipment and/or storage.
“Sellers” sold the drugs at prices allegedly set by Rosemond, while “managers,” such as Abdullah, coordinated shipments of cocaine and money.
“We had a business relationship,” Kahlil Abdullah admitted to the jury. “We sold drugs together. The money was packed in New York and sent to Los Angeles and picked up by the catchers, and vacuum seal bags to conceal the money.”
The drugs were then sent back to New York and distributed in Brooklyn, Queens, New York and other cities.
The operation sounds vast, but In total, there were 16 men who were named as being involved in the main hierarchy of the alleged drug dealing operation.
Abdullah said he met Rosemond while he was doing security for artists Rosemond managed, during a concert in Washington DC, over 12 years ago.
While their relationship started off strictly business, it soon turned to criminal activity.
“He [Rosemond] said he had money he needed to clean up, about $275,000,” Abdullah said, stating that Rosemond wanted a check in return for his cash.
Soon after the initial offer, Kahlil Abdullah said he began acting as a “catcher” for the Rosemond organization.
“He offered a chance to make money. We met in Harlem, he said there would be no headaches,” Abdullah testified. “He said ‘you can’t go to jail for getting caught with money’ and if I went to LA he would show me how.”
Abdullah was no gullible victim of schemes allegedly hatched by Rosemond.
Kahlil Abdullah’s criminal activity dates back to his teens and involved petty criminal activities, in addition more serious charges.
He even admitted that he and an associate shot a rival drug dealer, who made disparaging comments about him.
But Abdullah avoided prosecution after he paid the victim $25,000.
The victim then notarized a letter stating that Abdullah had nothing to do with the shooting, which allowed him to avoid prosecution.
Abdullah also hired the legal services of Jeffrey Lichtman, who allegedly represented a number of Rosemond’s associates, after they had been arrested with large amounts of cash or drugs.
While some shipments were intercepted as early as 2008, the government claims the organization still managed to ship as many as 60 kilograms of cocaine per-week, using overnight express courier services.
To achieve this, Abdullah told the jury that he created customized phony music crates, which had a double lining on the inside, that could store an average of $155,000 in cash.
The organization would also ship $500,000-$800,000 in drug proceeds in vacuumed sealed, mustard lined packages, to conceal the odor of the money.
The drug proceeds were then allegedly sent to Rosemond’s Los Angeles apartment, where it was counted and reinvested in drugs and expenses for fake ID’s, debit cards, encrypted Blackberrys and other tools of the trade.
Abdullah admitted that he was cooperating with the government and testifying against Rosemond, in hopes of receiving a reduced sentence.
Abdullah said that he is hopeful he will receive what’s known as a “5K1″ letter, which will allow him to receive a reduced sentence, despite a federally mandated prison sentence that calls him to serve at least 10 years-to-life in prison.
Khalil Abdullah is formally charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and obstruction of justice.
Testimony will continue tomorrow.
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