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Jacob The Jeweler Calling On Celebrity Friends
 Read 823 Times Since Posted on 0000-00-00 Jacob the Jeweler, well known for providing hip-hop\'s biggest names with high-end custom jewelry, is reportedly calling on his celebrity clients to testify as defense witnesses at his upcoming federal money-laundering trial. Jacob (born Jacob Arabov) was arrested last year on a warrant issued in Detroit by federal authorities accusing him of conspiring with others to launder money through his jewelry business. The infamous jeweler was among 16 people indicted by a Michigan District Attorney in May for violating federal drug laws and laundering an excess of $270 million. Jacob is accused of accepting "dirty" money generated by Atlanta-based drug organization the Black Mafia Family (BMF) and giving them jewelry in return without reporting the transactions. According to a source close to the New York Post, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Jay-Z, Mariah Carey and soccer player David Beckham, top the list of witnesses drawn up by the infamous jeweler. Benjamin Brafman, Jacob\'s lawyer, refused to comment on specific witnesses, but said his client\'s customers would testify about Jacob\'s good character and how "they themselves made substantial purchases in cash from him and all the money was handled properly." Brafman filed a motion in October requesting Jacob\'s case to be moved to New York, because it would be too costly for his client to defend himself in Detroit, plus many of Jacob\'s witnesses are located in New York "Trying to coordinate flying them into Detroit is a logistical nightmare that is beyond comprehension," Brafman explained to the Post. In the aforementioned motion, Brafman also requested that Jacob be tried separately from the BMF members. Prosecutors agreed but only if he gets tried with two other accused money launderers. Brafman and Jacob are awaiting a decision on a defense motion to toss the money-laundering charge. If the charge isn\'t dismissed, Brafman wants his client\'s case severed from the other two, so Jacob can stand trial alone in New York Arabov\'s indictment, which is part of a previous indictment alleging that the
BMF distributed 476 kilos of cocaine throughout the US since the early \'90s,
also seeks criminal forfeiture of more than 30 pieces of jewelry, in addition
to a number of residences and cars. Jacob pleaded not guilty to the money laundering
charges in a Detroit court in July and was released on $100,000 bond.
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