A Fulton County jury has found Atlanta rapper Cash Out guilty on multiple charges, bringing a dramatic end to a seven-week RICO trial centered on sex trafficking.
The verdict also implicates the rapper, born John Gibson, his mother, Linda Smith, and his cousin, Tyrone Taylor. What prosecutors described as a “seven-year reign of terror” veiled behind the rapper’s public persona.
Gibson was convicted of racketeering, rape, and two counts of sex trafficking, though acquitted on two additional trafficking charges. Smith was found guilty on one trafficking count and not guilty on another. Taylor was also convicted of trafficking. All three are scheduled to face sentencing on July 21.
The case, prosecuted by Earnell Winfrey, painted a chilling portrait of an organized criminal enterprise masked by fame and glamour. “This ain’t just straight pimping—this is trafficking,” Winfrey told jurors.
She accused the trio of running a coercive and manipulative scheme that lured women into sex work under false promises. The prosecution alleged that Gibson and his co-defendants exercised psychological and financial control. Creating what witnesses described as a “house of horrors.”
Cash Out Found Guilty Of RICO
Prosecutors introduced a trove of evidence, including text messages, payment receipts, and phone data from eight seized devices. These communications allegedly revealed the inner workings of the trafficking operation, documenting negotiations and instructions related to the sale of women. Property records linked Smith to key residences used in the scheme, while witness testimony suggested she was personally involved in prostitution.
Gibson’s legal team attempted to separate his music career from the charges. The defense insisted no force was involved and the women acted of their own accord. Smith’s defense argued she had no role in or knowledge of any trafficking activity. Prosecutors dismissed these claims, emphasizing that the case wasn’t about victim behavior but about calculated exploitation.
Once a rising star known for his 2012 hit “Cashin’ Out,” Gibson now awaits judgment for crimes. According to prosecutors, inflicted years of trauma on women silenced by power and fear.
