Chicago rapper Lil Durk was acquitted of multiple charges in a criminal trial but remains in federal custody while he faces a separate racketeering prosecution scheduled in October. The acquittal resolved charges tied to an alleged murder-for-hire plot in a separate case.
Prosecutors separated a Murder in Aid of Racketeering charge from the trial that produced the acquittal, creating the basis for the upcoming federal hearing. Court filings show the government has pursued racketeering-related counts against Durk tied to his music collective Only The Family.
In the earlier trial Durk was found not guilty of conspiracy to commit stalking, stalking Bowman with a dangerous weapon, stalking Robinson resulting in death, conspiracy to use interstate commerce facilities in a murder-for-hire resulting in Robinson’s death, and using interstate commerce facilities in a murder-for-hire resulting in Robinson’s death. He was seen emotional after the verdict, according to coverage of the proceedings.
Charges Details Reactions And Legal Stakes
Prosecutors added RICO-related charges to Durk’s case in June 2026, filing Murder in Aid of Racketeering and Conspiracy to Commit Stalking, as reported by LA Mag. The new counts tie alleged violent acts to an enterprise rather than to isolated retaliation, according to the filings.
Authorities have linked the alleged conduct to Only The Family, the Chicago-based rap collective Durk founded. Prosecutors alleged the killing of Saviay’a Robinson, known as Lul Pab, was part of a murder-for-hire plot aimed at rapper Quando Rondo and tied to earlier violence involving King Von, a close friend and collaborator of Durk.
Legal experts cited in coverage described VICAR charges, or Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering, as powerful tools for prosecutors. Durk’s attorneys publicly criticized the added charges, according to LA Mag reporter Lauren Conlin. Media figures also weighed in, with DJ Akademiks posting a video explaining why Durk would remain jailed despite the acquittal, as noted by a pop culture page.
The separate racketeering case will determine whether prosecutors can prove the alleged violent acts were committed to maintain status within an organization. Until that hearing, Durk remains in federal custody and will return to court under the new set of charges.
