Big Meech is an American convicted drug dealer with a net worth of $500 thousand. At his peak, Big Meech’s net worth hit $100 million. Interestingly, Big Meech was the co-founder of the Black Mafia Family, a criminal organization that was dominant in the 1990s and early 2000s.
The Black Mafia Family ultimately amassed an estimated $270 million in illicit profits and maintained a workforce of around 500 individuals. Meech and his brother, Terry Lee Flenory, known as “Southwest T,” initiated their journey by selling $50 bags of cocaine during high school in Detroit.
In the late 1980s, they established The Black Mafia Family, which, at its zenith, trafficked cocaine extensively across the United States, with major hubs in Atlanta, Georgia, and Los Angeles, California. Notably, Big Meech oversaw operations in Atlanta, while Southwest T managed the organization’s branch in Los Angeles. During its peak, the brothers orchestrated the movement of 2,500 kilos of cocaine every month, solely in and out of Atlanta.
In 2000, the brothers launched BMF Entertainment aiming to legitimize their business. Soon they were linked with various acts, including Young Jeezy. Other BMF artists have included Nu Money, Baby D, Bleu DaVinci, Calico Jonez, Fee Money, and D-Boi. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) arrested the brothers in 2005.
They both pleaded guilty to charges of money laundering and drug trafficking and they got a 30-year federal prison sentence.
Black Mafia Family
Born on June 21, 1968, in Detroit, Michigan, Demetrius Flenory grew up in a low-income neighborhood alongside his younger brother, Terry, who eventually became his partner in the drug trade. Opting out of high school, Demetrius delved into drug dealing at a young age, starting with modest operations and later expanding into more extensive ventures.
In the early 1990s, Big Meech, as he came to be known, and his brother Terry relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, where they established the Black Mafia Family, also recognized as BMF. Specializing in the distribution of cocaine and other drugs nationwide, the organization swiftly rose to prominence, earning its place among the most influential drug cartels in the United States.
Under Big Meech’s leadership, BMF gained notoriety for its extravagant lifestyle, which featured flashy cars, celebrity connections, and expensive jewelry. The organization’s members also had a reputation for intimidation and violence, and most rivals feared crossing them.
The illicit operations of BMF drew the scrutiny of law enforcement, leading to the indictment of Big Meech and his brother Terry on drug trafficking charges in 2005. Marked as one of the most substantial cases in U.S. history, it encompassed over 150 individuals and accounted for more than $270 million in drug proceeds.
Arrest And Imprisonment
In 2005, Big Meech was arrested in Los Angeles and charged with running an active criminal enterprise, money laundering, and conspiracy to distribute drugs. He got extradited to Detroit, where he was held without bail for three years before he was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Assets worth $21 million, including cash, jewelry, over 30 cars, and 13 homes across Detroit, Atlanta, and Los Angeles, were seized by investigators.
Even during his incarceration, Big Meech sustained a prominent public image, maintaining a luxurious lifestyle and amassing a substantial social media following. He dedicated time to writing his autobiography and was rumored to be associated with a movie project depicting his life.
In 2020, as part of a federal prison reform initiative, Big Meech’s sentence was reduced to 360 months, equivalent to 30 years.
Terry Flenory got released in 2020 as part of an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19.
In June 2021, a federal judge reduced Meech’s sentence by three years for good behavior, he will be released in 2028. He is now serving his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Sheridan, Oregon.
Media Portrayals
Big Meech’s story has been a major subject in many documentaries, books, and TV shows.
In 20210 newspaper editor Mara Shalhoup wrote a book on the Black Mafia Family called “BMF: The Rise and Fall of Big Meech and the Black Mafia Family.”
In 2012, he was showcased in the documentary series “American Gangster,” delving into the lives of some of America’s most notorious criminals. The subsequent year saw the airing of the BET series “BMF: The Rise and Fall of a Hip-Hop Drug Empire,” providing an in-depth chronicle of the ascent of the Black Mafia Family.
Big Meech was also referenced in multiple songs by hip-hop artists, including Young Jeezy, Rick Ross, and Jay-Z. His name is synonymous with the lavish lifestyle and excesses of the drug trade, and he is still a controversial figure up to today.