Rapper Fat Joe is facing serious legal trouble after his former hypeman, Terrance "TA" Dixon, filed new court documents alleging the Bronx rapper withheld wages and misappropriated tour per diems to pay off tax debts, with alleged help from Roc Nation.
As per AllHipHop, the motion, filed in federal court this week, is part of a broader civil RICO and Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) lawsuit.
Dixon accuses Fat Joe, Roc Nation, and several other affiliated entities of wage theft, fraud, and labor exploitation.
According to Dixon, he was promised between $3,000 to $5,000 per performance as Fat Joe's on-stage hypeman, in addition to daily per diems.
However, he alleges he received as little as $250 to $1,000 per show and discovered years later he was entitled to significantly more, reportedly up to $30,000 per appearance.
The complaint claims Fat Joe diverted Dixon's payments to pay down personal tax liabilities, including a reported seven-figure debt that previously landed the rapper in federal prison.
Fat Joe served a four-month sentence in 2013 for failing to pay taxes on more than $3 million in income between 2007 and 2010.
"Roc Nation had actual or constructive knowledge of the exploitative conditions," Dixon's legal team wrote in the filing.
The suit accuses Roc Nation of "actively participating in directing and ratifying the conduct of co-conspirators," including by misclassifying Dixon's employment, using burner phones, and filing false tax documents.
Dixon claims he learned of the alleged misconduct from a former Roc Nation manager and an accountant who both confirmed the company's awareness of the per diem arrangement and underpayment.
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The lawsuit alleges Roc Nation financially benefited through tour revenues, publishing cuts, and management fees tied to Dixon's labor.
The allegations go beyond wage theft. Dixon also claims Fat Joe forced him into "performing sex acts with thousands of women," and accuses the rapper of expressing inappropriate interest in underage girls.
The filing even revives a long-dismissed rumor, alleging that Fat Joe plotted to have rival rapper 50 Cent assassinated — a claim for which no evidence has been publicly produced and that both parties have previously denied.
Fat Joe, whose real name is Joseph Cartagena, has vehemently denied the accusations.
"These claims are false, defamatory, and rooted in financial desperation," his spokesperson said in a statement Thursday. "Mr. Cartagena will vigorously defend his name and reputation."
Roc Nation has not issued a public response. The company is named as a defendant alongside Terror Squad affiliates Pistol Pete and Rich Player.
This marks the latest chapter in a widening civil case filed in June, in which Dixon is seeking more than $20 million in damages.
A separate motion filed earlier this month claims Dixon has "secret recordings" that corroborate some of his allegations.
As the court process unfolds, Fat Joe's legal team says it plans to file for dismissal, calling the lawsuit "a baseless and malicious attack."
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