According to CBS, Tennessee rapper Nuke Bizzle, real name Fontrell Antonio Baines has been arrested on allegations of unemployment fraud. It was reported by authorities that they were informed that Bizzle had been using the fraudulent lifestyle as a means to fuel his rap career. The 31 year old Baines has bade songs in the past about cheating California’s Employment Development Department, having created a music video where he makes the claim that he had gotten “rick off EDD”.
Other lyrics included: “Unemployment so sweet we had 1.5 land this week,” another rapper added, “You gotta sell cocaine, I can just file a claim.”
In late-September, Baines was arrested by the Las Vegas Police. Upon a search following the arrest, the police found he was in possession of 8 debit cards from EDD. 7 of those 8 were registered under the names of other people. Further investigations found that he and his conspirators were in possession of at lease $1.2 million, accessing over $704,000 withdrawn.
Bizzle was also reported to have taken advantage of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance provided via the CARES Act, alongside the EDD scam. The CARES Act was intended to substitute the income for gig and freelance workers. Bizzle currently faces up to 22 years in a federal penitentiary. The charges are: aggravated identity theft, interstate transportation of stolen property and 3 felony counts of access device fraud.