A Georgia judge has ordered state authorities to return property and cash seized from Young Thug during the high-profile YSL prosecution, marking another legal conclusion tied to the years-long case.
In a written order filed Wednesday, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker ruled that prosecutors must return most of the items taken during the investigation, citing the state’s failure to follow required civil forfeiture procedures. The property includes multiple luxury vehicles such as a 2022 Chevrolet Corvette, a 2022 Porsche 911, three Mercedes-Benz vehicles, a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee, a 2018 Lamborghini, a Can-Am Spyder motorcycle, assorted jewelry, and more than $149,000 in cash.
The ruling stems from a petition filed by defense attorney Brian Steel, who argued that the state did not request a civil forfeiture hearing within the 60-day deadline mandated under Georgia law. Judge Whitaker initially sided with the defense last year. After the state appealed, and that appeal was later dismissed, the court reaffirmed that the property must be returned.
In her order, Whitaker wrote that the statute clearly requires seized property to be returned promptly once a forfeiture complaint is dismissed and no further appeals remain. She added that the state failed to identify any legal authority allowing it to retain custody of the property under those circumstances. Prosecutors were given until 5 p.m. Friday to return the items.
The decision follows the conclusion of what became the longest criminal trial in Georgia history. The case began in May 2022 when Fulton County prosecutors announced sweeping racketeering charges against Young Thug and dozens of others, alleging ties to a criminal street gang. Jury selection alone stretched nearly ten months, and testimony extended well into 2024.
In October 2024, Young Thug entered a plea deal, pleading guilty to several charges and no contest to others. He was released the following day and placed on probation with strict conditions, including limits on returning to metro Atlanta and requirements for community outreach. Weapons seized during the investigation are excluded from the return order.
