Last week, it was revealed that the offices of Interscope Records were allegedly being used as a front for cocaine distribution. The DEA found records showing that James Rosemond (manager of Interscope artist The Game) was shipping road cases stuffed with kilos of cocaine and more than $1 million in cash from Manhattan to the label’s LA offices. According to Interscope Records, though, they were as surprised to find out about the drug ring as everyone else.
This past Friday (September 16), Interscope Records claimed they were not being subjected to a federal investigation and that they had no knowledge of Rosemond’s actions. The label released the following statement:
“The information being reported in the press regarding Interscope Records’ involvement with the ongoing criminal prosecution of James Rosemond is both erroneous and completely unsupported. Interscope Records has been informed by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York that there is no evidence that any employee of UMG or Interscope Records had any involvement in the drug trafficking ring being prosecuted by that office, nor any knowledge of the contents of any of the packages that were purportedly shipped to its offices. Further, neither UMG nor Interscope Records are a subject or target of the investigation. UMG and Interscope will continue to cooperate with the United States Attorney’s Office regarding this matter.”
It could seem a tad sketchy that Interscope would have no clue that something on this scale was happening right under their noses (no pun intended). However, keep in mind that Rosemond was not an actual employee of Interscope (merely a manager of artists on the label’s roster). Even though Rosemond’s associates say they were ordered to pick up and deliver cases to Interscope’s offices or music studios (as prosecuter Todd Kaminsky’s claimed in a letter to Rosemond’s lawyer), that still doesn’t indicate that any of Interscope’s employees had a role in the ring.
Regardless, this scandal is the last thing any major label needs to deal with at the moment. Although, things could be worse for them, as Sony can attest to.
[via Digital Music News]
