Birdman is a heavily influential figure in Southern hip-hop, but even the business mogul has his slip-ups from time to time. However, it's not easy to call this instance a misstep, since it was a straight-up scam as he entered the oil business. Moreover, he and his brother Slim founded an oil and gas exploration company called BRONALD Oil and Gas, but their extracurricular business got them in some trouble. Between March 2006 and November 2010, around 20 people were impacted by an individual named Mark Roy Anderson swindling the duo for $5.4 million. The FBI tracked him down for ten years, interviewed Baby and Slim, and eventually caught him, resulting in an eleven-year prison sentence.
Furthermore, the story (according to the Daily Beast) goes that Anderson allegedly stole a million dollars from a Dallas real estate broker, plus some other investors. After authorities issued a civil suit that he dodged, officials launched a criminal investigation, convicted him, and fined him $130,000. However, it's unclear where Birdman fits into this narrative. What we do know is that the two met between April and September of 2008, with Baby wiring him the $5.4 million in that timeframe.
Birdman At The BET "Music Moguls" Premiere Event
In addition, the Cash Money executive met up in person with Anderson in Oklahoma to "specifically to see the oil leases" and verify his investments. Then, Anderson disappeared from the oil industry after playing Birdman and other individuals who had put up money. In 2011, the FBI interviewed the New Orleans native in their efforts to track Anderson down. Unfortunately, it seems like the scammer didn't learn his lesson, as he was arrested again in 2020. This time, it was for a three-year hemp farm scam, on which investors wasted around $9 million.
Meanwhile, the 54-year-old spent a lot of time this year advocating for CEOs to be part of hip-hop's 50th anniversary celebrations. Still, maybe he's not going about it in the best way. After all, comparing Quality Control's P and Diddy while putting one of them down seems like more competitive than celebratory. Regardless, keep checking in with HNHH for the latest news and updates on Birdman.