Young Thug has secured a major post-trial victory in his long-running YSL RICO saga, as a Fulton County judge ordered Georgia authorities to return his seized cars, jewelry and roughly $150,000 in cash following the conclusion of the YSL case in Atlanta. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Judge Paige Reese Whitaker reaffirmed an earlier ruling this week, setting a firm deadline for the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office to hand back the assets by 5 p.m. on Friday.[2] Local outlet FOX 5 Atlanta likewise reports that the state was ordered to return “roughly $150,000 in cash, multiple luxury vehicles, and high-end jewelry” to the rapper.[1]
The property at issue was seized in connection with the high-profile YSL RICO investigation that began with Young Thug’s May 2022 arrest on gang and racketeering-related charges in Fulton County, Georgia.[1] Prosecutors moved to keep the assets through a civil forfeiture case, but Judge Whitaker previously ordered the state in August to return the money and items, reportedly finding that the government’s position did not justify continued seizure.[2] When the district attorney’s office attempted to appeal, the court found that prosecutors repeatedly delayed key paperwork and misled the court about ordering a required transcript, causing what the judge called an “unreasonable and inexcusable” delay.[1][2]
In a sharply worded order, Judge Whitaker dismissed the state’s appeal in the civil forfeiture matter and ruled that Young Thug — legal name Jeffery Williams — was being unfairly deprived of his property while the state stalled the process.[1] Because civil forfeiture in Georgia is treated as a quasi-criminal proceeding that must be strictly construed against the government, the judge concluded the state could not continue holding the rapper’s assets and directed that they be returned promptly and without liens.[1] According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Young Thug’s attorney Brian Steel confirmed that prosecutors met the court’s deadline and returned the property.[2]
The order comes after the sprawling YSL RICO prosecution effectively wrapped up with no murder convictions for the central defendants. Young Thug resolved his portion of the case in 2024 through a negotiated guilty plea that resulted in time served and probation, while the final co-defendants were later acquitted of the most serious charges, bringing the multi-year courtroom battle to a close.[1][3] The latest ruling on his seized cash, cars and jewelry represents a legal and public setback for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ office, which has already faced scrutiny over its handling of the YSL case.[2] For Young Thug, the decision marks another step toward moving past the RICO ordeal and rebuilding his career and finances after years of legal turmoil.
