Rap mogul, drug kingpin surrender in drug money investigation

January 26, 2005, 10:29 AM EST

NEW YORK -- The platinum-selling label behind artists Ashanti and Ja Rule was part of a murderous criminal enterprise that protected its multi-state crack and heroin operation with calculated street assassinations, federal authorities charged Wednesday.

Label head Irv "Gotti" Lorenzo and his brother Christopher surrendered to the FBI on money-laundering charges Wednesday as federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment seeking to confiscate all the assets of their rap label, The Inc.