Michigan Gang Member Pleads Guilty to RICO Conspiracy for Drug Trafficking and Over $500,000 in Fraud

A Michigan man pleaded guilty today for his role in a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Conspiracy.

According to court documents, Jordan Gilmore, 27, of Detroit, is a member of a street gang known as the Purple Heart Vets (PHV) that uses violence, drug trafficking and fraud to enrich its members and fund the criminal enterprise. Gilmore is a self-described founder of PHV and used his rap career to promote the PHV through music and rap videos featuring other members and associates, firearms, cash, expensive cars and jewelry, and the gang's territory.

Gilmore and other PHV members and associates conspired to distribute marijuana, Percocet pills, and other controlled substances to further and fund the PHV enterprise. The gang used two houses in Detroit to store, prepare, and sell drugs and used members armed with firearms to protect the gang's drug-trafficking conspiracy, drugs, and proceeds.

In addition to drug trafficking, Gilmore and other PHV members fraudulently and illegally obtained pandemic relief grants, specifically Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits to which they were not entitled. PHV members fraudulently obtained approximately $520,709 in federally-funded state PUA benefits and filed more than 50 fraudulent PUA applications.

Gilmore pleaded guilty to RICO Conspiracy. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 20. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan made the announcement.

The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) are investigating the case.

Trial Attorney Marcus Johnson of the Criminal Division's Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danielle Asher and Matthew Roth for the Eastern District of Michigan are prosecuting the case.