Charity organisation rejects ex-con Tekashi 6ix9ine's $284,000 donation

Tekashi 6ix9ine has had a $200,000 (S$284,000) charity donation rejected by a charity organisation.

The 24-year-old rapper - whose real name is Daniel Hernandez - was jailed for two years in December on charges relating to attempted murder, conspiracy to distribute heroin, and firearms offences, but was released last month over concerns the asthmatic star could become seriously ill or even die if he contracted coronavirus behind bars.

And on his release, Tekashi wanted to give a huge sum of money to No Kid Hungry, but the non-profit organisation - which is committed to ending childhood hunger - felt it wasn't appropriate to accept the donation.

They said in a statement: "We are grateful for Mr. Hernandez's generous offer to donate to No Kid Hungry but we have informed his representatives that we have declined this donation.

"As a child-focused campaign, it is our policy to decline funding from donors whose activities do not align with our mission and values."

The Gotti hitmaker later branded the charity "cruel" for rejecting his donation.

He wrote in a now-deleted Instagram Story post: "@nokidhungry would rather take food out of the mouth of innocent children. I have never seen something so cruel."

Tekashi was due to be released from jail early on July 31, and was ordered to serve his remaining four months in "home incarceration" at an address approved by his probation officer. He is also being tracked by GPS to make sure he doesn't leave the property.

Judge Paul Engelmayer wrote in his order: "The defendant must remain at his residence except to seek any necessary medical treatment or to visit his attorney, in each instance with prior notice and approval by the Probation Department."

The judge had originally denied a request for Tekashi to be placed in home confinement, after he claimed it was up to the Federal Bureau of Prisons to handle changes to an inmate's incarceration.

But after Tekashi's lawyer Lance Lazzaro wrote another letter to Engelmayer stating he has purview over his compassionate release request, the judge agreed to grant the request, and ordered prosecutors to say if they opposed the move.

US Attorney Geoffrey Berman wrote in response: "In the event the Court finds 'extraordinary and compelling reasons' presented by the defendant's medical condition, placing him at high risk during the Covid-19 outbreak, the Government does not oppose the defendant's motion for compassionate release."

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