Cash Out and His Mother Accused of Witness Tampering in RICO Case

Cash Out’s legal case just took another turn.

The Atlanta rapper, whose real name is John Michael Gibson, is now facing witness tampering accusations in the middle of his RICO trial.

Prosecutors believe he and his mother, Linda Smith, also known as “Mama Ca$h,” tried to prevent a key witness from testifying.

The woman involved was arrested during a 2021 prostitution sting alongside Gibson. Since then, she has been cooperating with the investigation. Authorities now claim both Gibson and his mother tried to influence her not to speak to law enforcement.

On Monday, June 30, jurors were shown a recorded interrogation video from 2021, taken after Smith was picked up at a physical therapy clinic. In the footage, Smith denied any illegal activity and said she was only at the location to find a friend who had missed a probation meeting.

Later in court, prosecutors played recordings of jail phone calls between Gibson and Smith. In the calls, Gibson allegedly told his mother to find the woman. During the interrogation, Smith told investigators, “I mean, y’all acting like I done kidnapped her.”

Gibson is already facing serious charges including sex trafficking, luring women into prostitution, racketeering, and multiple weapons charges. Several women have testified that he controlled their movements and forced them to turn over money earned through sex work.

Earlier this month, a forensic interviewer who specializes in trafficking cases testified to explain how victims experience abuse and manipulation differently depending on their age and life experience. That testimony was meant to give jurors context on how coercion can affect people over time.

As the trial continues, the claims of witness tampering add another layer of pressure to a case already filled with disturbing allegations.

Both Gibson and Smith remain at the center of what prosecutors are calling a carefully organized trafficking operation.