FBI Releases Files: Tupac Received Threats from JDL Circle

In mid-April 2011, the FBI released documents it had compiled on Tupac Shakur, redacted in some places. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported on the most explosive part: according to the files, Tupac had received death threats from the circle of the Jewish Defense League (JDL), a group founded by Meir Kahane.

A Scheme in Three Steps

The documents describe a pattern that did not affect Tupac alone. First, death threats were received by a rap star. Then individuals from the JDL circle offered “protection”: the artist and his family were taken to a safe location, usually a private estate, guarded by armed bodyguards. Finally, it was claimed that an agreement had been reached with the opposing party, and the targeted individual paid for the services, according to the files sums of around 50,000 dollars. Tupac and Eazy-E are mentioned by name. The JDL did not respond to inquiries from the JTA.

The lead was not entirely new. As early as September 2000, The Smoking Gun had published documents showing that the FBI had investigated extortion attempts against rappers from this circle for years; this is recounted in the article FBI Investigated Extortion of Rappers by JDL Circle. How the investigation into the Las Vegas shooting unfolded can be found under Investigations.