A federal judge dropped RICO murder charges in Lil Durk‘s upcoming murder-for-hire trial. Durk (real name Durk Banks) is on trial for masterminding a gang hit on aspiring rapper Quando Rondo in 2022.
Federal agents arrested Durk, 33, in Florida in 2024 while he attempted to flee the country.
The Grammy-winning drill rapper is accused of sending gang members from Chicago to Los Angeles to execute rival rapper Quando Rondo in August 2022.
The gunmen followed Rondo’s rental car to a gas station where they opened fire. They missed Rondo but killed his distant cousin, Lul Pab.
The racketeering charges, filed in June, stemmed from the execution of a “rival gang member” in Chicago. The indictment claimed that Durk ordered additional killings in Chicago as part of his OTF gang activities.
According to Rolling Stone, Durk allegedly brought $1 million cash to a recording studio after the hit on a rival Chicago gang member. The alleged hitman posted a photo on social media showing off his “monetary reward” for the gang hit.
The hitman quoted Durk’s rap song “AHHH HA,” with the lyrics, “We be sliding through they blocks and they don’t know we have,” according to the indictment.
Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald dismissed the Chicago murder charges and ruled that Durk’s murder-for-hire trial will proceed as scheduled on August 20.
Judge Fitzgerald accused the prosecution of adding murder charges to increase the government’s chances of convicting Durk.
“You think you will have a better chance to win if the Chicago count is tried with the Los Angeles murder. That’s obvious,” the judge told lead prosecutor Ian Yanniello during Tuesday’s hearing. “You treat that as a feature. I treat that as a bug,” the judge added.
Judge Fitzgerald said it would be “much simpler” to have one trial focused only on the Los Angeles murder, and then hold a second trial later on the Chicago gang counts.
“You chose not to do that,” Judge Fitzgerald told the prosecutor. “You had over a year … so I don’t want to hear more argument that the third superseding indictment is necessary to prove the Los Angeles murder.”
Durk’s wife, India Royale, attended Tuesday’s hearing in Los Angeles.
Durk’s attorney, Drew Findling, said after the hearing that Judge Fitzgerald got it right.
“It’s one of those days that makes it so rewarding to be a trial attorney,” said Findling. “We so appreciate the thoroughness that took place in that courtroom today.”
? Lil Durk’s Wife, Parents, And Several Members Of OTF Showed Up In Court Today To Support Him ???
Lil Durk received a strong show of support as his wife, parents, and several people affiliated with OTF were all in attendance during today’s court proceedings.
The courtroom… pic.twitter.com/MJBHBqy6Ue
— Cousin Tino ™? (@TINOISFUNNY) July 14, 2026