This post was originally published on this site.
Raz Simone faces a $2.1 million judgment after a King County jury determined he engaged in criminal profiteering against four women across multiple states.
The monthlong civil trial concluded Friday with the verdict, marking a significant legal consequence for the Seattle rapper and CHOP figure who has evaded criminal prosecution despite years of allegations.
The case represents a five-year legal battle that began when the women filed their complaint in 2021, according to the Seattle Times.
The women alleged that Simone forced them into prostitution and maintained strict control over their daily lives. Despite these serious allegations, Simone has never faced criminal charges.
An investigation by the Seattle Times and KUOW in 2022 revealed that Seattle police had been aware of allegations against Simone and his music label Black Umbrella for years, yet no criminal action materialized.
Simone’s prominence during the 2020 Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone made him a polarizing figure.
Some described him as a warlord overseeing the camp, while others dismissed him as a protest opportunist. Lawyers in a separate civil rights case maintained that Simone attempted to function as a de facto police chief at the encampment.
The verdict arrives as CHOP-related legal damages continue mounting.
In January, a jury found Seattle liable in the shooting death of teenager Antonio Mays Jr., awarding his family $30 million.
Combined with other CHOP lawsuits, total damages have reached $45 million, creating a cascading financial liability for the city.
