section_path: Legal issues/United States v. Irving Lorenzo, et al. (2003–2005)
section_name: United States v. Irving Lorenzo, et al. (2003–2005)
paragraph_text: United States v. Irving Lorenzo, et al. (2003–2005)
  
  On January 3, 2003, federal agents of the DOJ, IRS, and New York Police Department investigators raided the headquarters of Murder Inc., located at One Worldwide Plaza in Midtown Manhattan, after a $65 million check from Universal Music was written. The raid was part of a year-long investigation into the connection between the Lorenzo brothers and American drug lord Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff. Investigators believed that the Lorenzos used over $1 million in drug money supplied by McGriff to launch Murder Inc. as a way to launder the illegal funds. Investigators also believed the brothers helped McGriff launder drug money through the making of the 2003 film Crime Partners. Although computers and documents were seized, no charges were immediately filed, and no arrests were immediately made. The probe was handled by prosecutors Carolyn Pokorny, Richard Weber, and Tracy Dayton. A week after the FBI seized bank accounts of companies related to the production and soundtrack of the film Crime Partners 2000 and two weeks later subpoenas for financial documents from Universal were requested. At the time Lorenzo was represented by law firm Kaye Scholer.
  
  Chris and Irv "Gotti" Lorenzo's history with McGriff dated back to around 1995 at Irv's first music video shoot across the street from a Kentucky Fried Chicken McGriff frequented. When McGriff, newly paroled from prison, met Chris and Irv through a mutual friend. McGriff wanted to go into film production and sought help from the Lorenzo brothers to produce and direct a film based on Donald Goines ' novel Crime Partners he had read while in jail. The Lorenzos from then on maintained a friendship with McGriff, helping initially finance for $250,000-300,000 then a $500,000 advance on a $1 million soundtrack deal for the dream film project, Crime Partners 2000. The film which credited McGriff as producer and co-writer, was released direct-to-video, and featured appearances by Ja Rule, Charli Baltimore, Snoop Dogg, and Ice-T.
  
  On January 25, 2005, the Lorenzos, talent manager Ronald Robinson, and bookkeeper Cynthia Brent surrendered to authorities in New York City and were officially charged with money laundering and conspiracy to launder money. The brothers were released on $1 million bonds after putting up their parent's home to receive the funds. The trial was presided over by judge Edward Korman. A task force was created by the office of Roslynn Mauskopf with Raymond Kelly, Pasquale D'Amuro, Michael J. Thomas, and William G. McMahon. During the trial, Irv was represented by Gerald B. Lefcourt, and Chris was represented by Gerald Shargel, if convicted the brothers and the two Murder Inc staff members each could have faced an unlikely maximum of 20 years in prison. On December 2, 2005, the Lorenzos received acquittal from all charges. Legal fees were in excess of $10 million.
  
  On January 3, 2003, federal agents of the DOJ, IRS, and New York Police Department investigators raided the headquarters of Murder Inc., located at One Worldwide Plaza in Midtown Manhattan, after a $65 million check from Universal Music was written. The raid was part of a year-long investigation into the connection between the Lorenzo brothers and American drug lord Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff. Investigators believed that the Lorenzos used over $1 million in drug money supplied by McGriff to launch Murder Inc. as a way to launder the illegal funds. Investigators also believed the brothers helped McGriff launder drug money through the making of the 2003 film Crime Partners. Although computers and documents were seized, no charges were immediately filed, and no arrests were immediately made. The probe was handled by prosecutors Carolyn Pokorny, Richard Weber, and Tracy Dayton. A week after the FBI seized bank accounts of companies related to the production and soundtrack of the film Crime Partners 2000 and two weeks later subpoenas for financial documents from Universal were requested. At the time Lorenzo was represented by law firm Kaye Scholer.
  
  Chris and Irv "Gotti" Lorenzo's history with McGriff dated back to around 1995 at Irv's first music video shoot across the street from a Kentucky Fried Chicken McGriff frequented. When McGriff, newly paroled from prison, met Chris and Irv through a mutual friend. McGriff wanted to go into film production and sought help from the Lorenzo brothers to produce and direct a film based on Donald Goines ' novel Crime Partners he had read while in jail. The Lorenzos from then on maintained a friendship with McGriff, helping initially finance for $250,000-300,000 then a $500,000 advance on a $1 million soundtrack deal for the dream film project, Crime Partners 2000. The film which credited McGriff as producer and co-writer, was released direct-to-video, and featured appearances by Ja Rule, Charli Baltimore, Snoop Dogg, and Ice-T.
  
  On January 25, 2005, the Lorenzos, talent manager Ronald Robinson, and bookkeeper Cynthia Brent surrendered to authorities in New York City and were officially charged with money laundering and conspiracy to launder money. The brothers were released on $1 million bonds after putting up their parent's home to receive the funds. The trial was presided over by judge Edward Korman. A task force was created by the office of Roslynn Mauskopf with Raymond Kelly, Pasquale D'Amuro, Michael J. Thomas, and William G. McMahon. During the trial, Irv was represented by Gerald B. Lefcourt, and Chris was represented by Gerald Shargel, if convicted the brothers and the two Murder Inc staff members each could have faced an unlikely maximum of 20 years in prison. On December 2, 2005, the Lorenzos received acquittal from all charges. Legal fees were in excess of $10 million.