Rosemond Pal’s Plea Pending Once He Tracks Down That Missing $100,000

A man prosecutors describe as a key witness against alleged cocaine kingpin/rap music manager James Rosemond is close to striking a plea deal--once he can locate $100,000 in cash that he apparently swiped from his felonious compatriots and has agreed to forfeit to Uncle Sam.

During an appearance today in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, prosecutor Todd Kaminsky and a lawyer for Khalil Abdullah reported that while a plea deal is in the works, the imprisoned defendant has yet to put his hands on money that he entrusted to an associate before his late-April bust. The forfeiture of those six figures would be a component of Abdullah’s plea agreement, Kaminsky told Judge John Gleeson.

The identity of the person to whom Abdullah, 37, gave the money was not revealed, nor did the lawyers detail the difficulties encountered in obtaining the stash, which Kaminsky said Abdullah’s coconspirators likely would believe “he is not entitled to.” As previously reported by TSG, Drug Enforcement Administration agents believe that Abdullah helped himself to some of the proceeds from cocaine trafficking by the so-called Rosemond Organization.

Abdullah began cooperating with federal investigators soon after his arrest. In a criminal complaint filed against Rosemond, Abdullah--who is referred to only as a confidential witness (specifically “CW-1”)--is said to have “confessed to participating in the Rosemond Organization’s narcotics-trafficking conspiracy” and agreed to roll on his friend “in the hope of receiving a reduced sentence.”

The lawyer for Abdullah--who Kaminsky said is being held “in a secure jail facility”--asked Gleeson to seal the transcript from today’s court hearing over safety concerns if other inmates learned that he had access to $100,000. While Gleeson agreed to the sealing request, a TSG reporter was present in the courtroom for the hearing.