Rapper Fat Joe is facing a $20 million lawsuit for allegedly engaging in sexual abuse against minors, among other accusations.
The lawsuit was filed on Thursday by his former hype man, T.A. Dixon, in the Southern District of New York. The suit accuses Fat Joe, whose real name is Joseph Antonio Cartagena, of a "sustained campaign of exploitation."
The rapper "systematically engaged in coercive labor exploitation, financial fraud, sexual manipulation, violent intimidation, and psychological coercion," Dixon claimed in the 157-page lawsuit, obtained by Fox News Digital.
The lawsuit added that it was "all intended to enrich" Fat Joe and his associates "while deliberately suppressing, silencing, and erasing [Dixon’s] substantial creative, artistic, and commercial contributions, which were foundational to Defendant Cartagena's professional success and personal brand."
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Fat Joe was sued for $20 million by a former associate. (Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images)
Fat Joe's lawyer told Fox News Digital, "The lawsuit filed by Tyrone Blackburn and Terrance Dixon is a blatant act of retaliation — 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."
It added, "Law enforcement is aware of the extortionate demand at the heart of this scheme. 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."
Blackburn, Dixon's attorney, told Fox News Digital, "Fat Joe is Sean Combs minus the Tusi [a drug also known as "pink cocaine"]. It is clear he has learned nothing from his 2013 federal conviction," referring to the rapper's previous conviction on tax evasion charges.
Fat Joe’s alleged exploitation extended "beyond financial fraud," Dixon's lawsuit claimed, adding he was allegedly forced into "humiliating situations, including sex acts performed under duress and surveillance, accompanied by threats" that he would be left in foreign countries if he did not comply.
Fat Joe, a longtime Democrat, performs at a post-debate campaign rally on June 28, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Allison Joyce/Getty Images)
The lawsuit also claims that two of Fat Joe’s associates, Peter "Pistol Pete" Torres and Richard "Rich Player" Jospitre, who were also included as defendants in the lawsuit, "actively engaged in physical threats, violent assaults, and intimidation tactics on Cartagena's explicit instructions, sustaining a climate of fear and coercion against Plaintiff and others who challenged the Enterprise's control."
He claimed he was "coerced into more than 4,000 sexual acts to maintain his standing within the Enterprise."
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Dixon also alleged that during his time with the rapper, he "personally witnessed" him "engage in sexual relations with children who were fifteen and sixteen years old."
"In exchange for cash, clothing, and payment of her cell phone bill, Defendant would get oral sex and other sexual acts performed on him by Minor Doe 1," the lawsuit claimed. Dixon said Minor Doe 1 was 16 years old.
Terrance Dixon accused Fat Joe of engaging in "sexual relations" with minors. (Gilbert Flores/Penske Media via Getty Images)
He claimed that Fat Joe began having sex with a second minor when she was 15 years old after a concert overseas and paid for her to get a Brazilian butt lift.
Fat Joe also allegedly had sex with a third minor girl who met the rapper before she turned 16. He was "in love" with the third minor and "even contemplated leaving his wife" for her, the lawsuit claimed.
"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," the document alleged.
Dixon also worked as a "lyricist, background vocalist, security team member, and creative collaborator" during his time with the rapper, the lawsuit said, claiming he was "systematically excluded" from getting "fair compensation, proper attribution, and the substantial royalties and profits generated from his creative labor. Instead, Plaintiff was consistently underpaid, denied songwriting credits, and deliberately concealed from royalties and backend compensation."
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Justin Tucker suspended 10 games after sexual misconduct scandal
The NFL has suspended Justin Tucker for 10 games after a slew of sexual misconduct allegations were made against him.
Tucker’s suspension will take effect on roster cutdown day, which is Aug. 26, and he will be eligible to be reinstated on Nov. 11, according to the NFL’s statement.
While Tucker is currently a free agent, his suspension begins in Week 1, whether he is with a team by then or not.
“If he is signed during the offseason, he may attend training camp and participate in preseason games,” the NFL statement read.
Tucker was cut by the Ravens in early May after he was accused by 16 massage therapists in the Baltimore area of inappropriate behavior between 2012 and 2016.
He was initially accused by six massage therapists in January before 10 more women came forward with similar accusations, prompting the NFL to launch an investigation in February.
Tucker has adamantly denied the allegations, calling them “unequivocally false.”
The 35-year-old’s wife, Amanda, also spoke out, saying that “The false allegations against Justin have caused so much hurt to our family. I believe my husband, and I love and support him fully.”
Despite the serious accusations, the Ravens insisted that the decision to release Tucker was purely based on football.
“Sometimes football decisions are incredibly difficult, and this is one of those instances,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement when releasing Tucker in May. “Justin created many significant and unforgettable moments in Ravens history.
“His reliability, focus, drive, resilience and extraordinary talent made him one of the league’s best kickers for over a decade. We are grateful for Justin’s many contributions while playing for the Ravens.”
Baltimore drafted Tyler Loop out of Arizona in April’s draft. He’s expected to take the starting role — one that Tucker held since 2012.
Tucker currently holds the position of the most accurate kicker in NFL history, making approximately 89 percent of his field goals across his career despite coming off a career-worst season in 2024-25, when he converted just 73.3 percent of his attempts.
Wander Franco found guilty of sexually abusing minor
Wander Franco was found guilty of sexual abuse of a minor in his native Dominican Republic; however, the Rays shortstop dodged jail time despite pleas from prosecutors to put him behind bars.
Franco was sentenced to a two-year suspended prison sentence by the three judges presiding over the case in Puerto Plata Collegiate Court.
The conviction was unanimous among the three judges and comes with conditions that need to be met — the biggest being sternly told to Franco by Judge Jakayra Veras García.
“Do not approach minors for sexual purposes. If you don’t like people very close to your age, you have to wait your time,” she said to him, the Associated Press reported.
The once-touted MLB player was arrested last year after he was accused of having a months-long relationship with an underage girl when she was just 14 and then of paying off the victim’s mother in order for her to consent to the relationship.
Franco was 21 at the time of the illegal relationship with the female victim. The trial originally had been slated to start in December before it was pushed until this month.
Prosecutor Luis Martínez described himself as pleased with the verdict.
Franco’s lawyer, Irina Ventura, said that “justice was not done” and that she planned to appeal the ruling.
The victim’s mother also was convicted Thursday of sexually trafficking her daughter and was given a 10-year prison sentence, along with having all assets acquired through the course of Franco’s crime seized, ESPN’s Juan Arturo Recio reported.
Franco faced charges of sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor and human trafficking, but the judges ruled he was not guilty of those.
Veras orally reviewed the evidence prosecutors had presented during the trial, calling it a “somewhat complex process.”
“The court has understood that this minor was manipulated,” she said.
Franco was described as looking expressionless as the proceedings continued, the AP reported.
Dominican prosecutors had called for Franco to receive five years in prison, and earlier this month, they said they had “convincing evidence” the Rays player had committed the crime.
The accusations against Franco first surfaced online in posts on social media in August 2023 and have kept him away from the game of baseball since. He maintained his innocence since then, and speaking in front of the court Monday, he told the three judges: “We expect justice.”
Franco has been on MLB’s restricted list since charges were filed in July 2024 and any future in baseball seems slim due to the difficulty he would face trying to receive a work visa in the United States with a conviction.
MLB still is conducting an investigation into Franco, and he could face further discipline under the league’s domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy.
“We are aware of today’s verdict in the Wander Franco trial and will conclude our investigation at the appropriate time,” the league said in a statement.
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