Ex-NFL star Chris Johnson ‘accused of funding gang revenge murder-for-hire plot that left two dead’
EX-NFL star Chris Johnson has been accused of funding a murder-for-hire plot that left two people dead in 2016. Johnson, 34, hasn’t been charged with any crime, but TMZ Sports reported on Thursday that officials are investigating the former Tennessee Titans running back. Authorities allege Johnson paid a gang member in cash after the man […]
EX-NFL star Chris Johnson has been accused of funding a murder-for-hire plot that left two people dead in 2016.
Johnson, 34, hasn’t been charged with any crime, but TMZ Sports reported on Thursday that officials are investigating the former Tennessee Titans running back.
Authorities allege Johnson paid a gang member in cash after the man allegedly killed two people — who were suspected of murdering Johnson’s friend in March 2015.
“Noted Florida gang member” Dominic Bolden is said to have fatally shot two men — one in January 2016 and the other in July 2016 — who were believed to be the shooters in the March 2015 incident.
A rep for Johnson told TMZ: “There’s no validity to any of these accusations.”
On Thursday, the day the accusations were reported, Johnson tweeted, “False news!!!!!” although it wasn’t immediately clear if he was referencing the allegations against him.
On March 8, 2015, Johnson was in a vehicle when around 4am, someone opened fire, shooting at his car, according to officials.
Johnson was shot in the shoulder and recovered, but his friend, Dreekius Johnson, died in the shooting.
Law enforcement officials, per the documents cited by TMZ, have said “intelligence gathered suggested [the shooting] was a gang-related murder attempt on Chris Johnson.”
The court documents show officials claim that an informant told them what Bolden did in exchange for reward money.
Johnson allegedly “helped the guy become a leader of a famed drug trafficking organization (DTO) in Florida.”
The informant told investigators that Johnson supplied Bolden “with funds and an individual who could continually supply Dominic Bolden with as much narcotics as needed to supply the DTO.”
Per the informant, the murder-for-hire plot “elevated Dominic Bolden’s rank, reputation and power within the DTO,” allowing him to become the operation’s leader.
Johnson, according to the report, helped run the drug ring’s daily operations.
A three-time Pro Bowler, Johnson played six seasons with the Titans before moving to the New York Jets.
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He recently tweeted his regret of the switch, writing: “Just thinking to myself how did I pick going to jets over Baltimore Ravens in 2014 what a bad decision !!!!”
Johnson became one of only seven running backs to reach the 2,000-yard milestone in 2009.
The 34-year-old finished with a league-high 2,006 rushing yards, 14 rushing touchdowns and 50 receptions for 503 receiving yards. He also received two more scores in a first-team All-Pro season.
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