Atlanta rapper Ca$h Out, aka John Gibson, along with his mother and cousin, has been convicted in a high-profile Fulton County RICO trial for operating an alleged sex trafficking enterprise.
The three defendants faced a series of grave accusations. According to WSB-TV Atlanta, John Gibson, his mother, Linda Smith, and his cousin, Tyrone Taylor, were all found guilty of RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) charges. In addition to the RICO conviction, Gibson was also found guilty of rape and two counts of trafficking, though he was found not guilty on two other trafficking counts. His mother, Linda Smith, was found guilty on one count of trafficking and not guilty on another, while Tyrone Taylor was found guilty of one count of trafficking. WSB-TV reports that he was sentenced to life in prison for his rape charge as well as an additional 70 years for RICO and his other convictions. The sentences will be concurrent.
According to 11Alive, the rapper’s indictment claims he used his rap career to gain the trust of his victims, “Although now administratively dissolved, Cash Out used PMG (Pyrex Music Group, LLC), along with this brand name ‘Cash Out,’ to promote his music and the ‘Cash Out’ brand, and through the use of deception and then coercion, enticed and recruited women from social media platforms to engage in commercial sexual activity.”
Throughout the proceedings, jurors heard extensive testimony that painted a grim picture. Alleged victims, law enforcement officials, and prosecutors laid out what they described as a “seven-year reign of terror.”
Atlanta Rapper Ca$h Out: The “House of Horrors” Allegations
11Alive reports that Fulton County prosecutor Earnell Winfrey emphasized the disturbing nature of the case, telling jurors, “This has been going on for seven years. This ain’t just straight pimping—this is trafficking.”
She described the operation allegedly run by Antonio Gibson, his mother Linda Smith, and cousin Tyrone Taylor as a “house of horrors,” where women were coerced, deceived, and forced into sex work. Winfrey noted that while pimping was involved, “force and cohesion is what makes it trafficking.”
Prosecutors presented text messages allegedly exchanged between the trio, showing coordination in selling women and collecting payments. Eight cell phones were submitted as evidence, reportedly exposing the inner workings of the alleged operation.
Defense attorneys argued there was no proof connecting Gibson’s music career or label to trafficking, and claimed the women participated willingly. But the jury didn’t buy it—delivering a verdict that aligned with the prosecution’s chilling portrayal.
