Why is Casanova in prison? Rapper thanks Tory Lanez for financially supporting him for a year as he fights his case

Rapper Casanova shared a message from jail on his Instagram story on September 17, thanking fellow rapper Tory Lanez for sending him money to support himself while he pleads his case. Casanova wrote:

"@torylanez you are one of the realest ni**as I ever met. How you in jail looking out for a ni**a in jail? Sent me enough money to last me for a whole year lol. I love ya heart, I love ya soul. Free us til you see us!"

Casanova, originally named Caswell Senior, was reportedly sentenced to 188 months of prison in June 2024 after pleading guilty to one charge under the RICO Act (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) and another drug-related charge for the distribution of 100 kg of marijuana.

As per Billboard, he also admitted to his involvement in a shootout at a Miami party in July 2020 where he shot a man, leaving him with crucial injuries during his trial in 2022.

Meanwhile, Tory Lanez has been in prison since August 2023 for his alleged involvement in the 2020 shooting of fellow rapper Megan Thee Stallion. Lanez was sentenced to ten years of imprisonment due to facing charges of assault with a firearm, illegal possession of a firearm, and negligent use of a firearm.

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Casanova was found guilty of a RICO charge and a drug charge in 2022

On June 27, a New York federal judge found rapper Casanova guilty of one charge under the RICO Act and another one for illegal drug use. The verdict came after the rapper became one of the 18 men to be charged for their alleged involvement in the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation gang in December 2020.

As per the prosecutors, the gang “committed terrible acts of violence” across New York City. The defendants faced RICO charges for alleged gang-related violence alongside charges of the murder of a young boy from Poughkeepsie. The charges also include "brazen fraud" during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Before his sentencing, federal officials pleaded for Casanova to receive a strict sentence ranging from 188 to 235 months.

As reported by Billboard, the federal government said in a statement:

“He did not simply pretend to be violent in his music or on social media. Unfortunately, he walked the walk. Senior’s offense conduct is not about a few song lyrics or how he marketed his music. Rather, he carried out an array of violent activity and significant narcotics trafficking that benefited some of the gang’s most violent and impactful members.”

Meanwhile, Caswell Senior's lawyers demanded leniency, asserting that the rapper was “not involved in the gang’s daily activities” and had begun distancing himself from the gang after he began making a name in the music industry.

Casanova's attorneys wrote in a statement ahead of his sentencing:

“The fact is that Mr. Senior stayed in this gang as it furthered his rap career. As he gained moderate success and then a recording contract with Roc Nation, he increasingly separated himself from the gang’s activities despite remaining a member.”

However, in June 2024, Casanova was sentenced to 188 months of prison time (around 15 years). Shortly after his sentencing, US lawyer Damien Williams wrote in a statement:

“Caswell Senior is not just a notorious recording artist, but he is also a high-profile leader of a vicious street gang and a magnet for gang violence. Gang life is not worth it and will lead to many years in prison.”

Meanwhile, the rapper's attorney, James Kousouros, told Billboard that Casanova and his lawyers are happy with the verdict as the rapper was sentenced to the "lowest end of the guidelines" of prison time.

Before Casanova faced criminal charges, he was one of the rising stars in the hip-hop industry. The rapper had signed a deal with Jay-Z's Roc Nation. In 2019, he ranked number 3 in Billboard's Next Big Sound chart following the release of his studio album, Behind These Scars.