Black Mafia Family

Demetrius and Terry Flenory

Leader Big Meech (right, in green) and second-in-command J-Bo
Founded	Late 1980s; "BMF" name given around the year 2000.
Founding location	Detroit, Michigan
Years active	1980s– 2000s
Territory	States: Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee
Membership	Over 150 members indicted thus far. Peak membership estimated at over 25,000
Criminal activities	Drug trafficking, money laundering, and murder

The Black Mafia Family (BMF) was a drug trafficking organization originally based in Detroit, MI that was founded in the late 1980s by brothers Demetrius and Terry Flenory. By the year 2000, they had established the cocaine distribution cells throughout the United States. Through their Los Angeles-based drug source, they had direct links to Mexican-based drug cartels.

They established two main hubs for their operation: the Atlanta, Georgia hub, for distribution, was operated by older brother Demetrius, while the Los Angeles, California hub was operated by Terry to handle incoming shipments from Mexico. Its network eventually spanned as far as Los Angeles, California to Atlanta, Georgia.

Around 2000, the organization tried to legitimize itself by entering the hip-hop music business, starting a company called BMF Entertainment. Through BMF Entertainment, it helped promote a number of artists, including Young Jeezy, as well as BMF Entertainment's sole artist, Bleu DaVinci. Before their entrance into the music business, the Flenory Brothers were known to associate with a number of high-profile hip-hop artists, including Jay-Z and Fabolous.

In 2005, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) indicted members of the Black Mafia Family, ultimately securing convictions by targeting the Flenory brothers under the Continuing Criminal Enterprise Statute. Both were sentenced to 30 years in prison. Subsequent indictments eventually targeted over 150 members of the organization. Prosecutors alleged the organization made over $270 million over the course of the conspiracy.

Demetrius "Big Meech" (Demetrius Edward Flenory, b. June 21, 1968 in Detroit, Michigan) and his brother Terry "Southwest T" (Terry Lee Flenory, b. January 10, 1972 in Detroit, Michigan) began selling $50 bags of cocaine on the streets of Detroit, during their high school years. By 2000, they had established multi-kilogram cocaine distribution cells in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee.

A two-year federal investigation of the organization estimated its nationwide membership as over 500. Around 2001, there was a split between the brothers, with Terry moving to Los Angeles with his girlfriend to head his own organization and Demetrius staying in Atlanta. By 2003, the two had been involved in a major falling out and rarely spoke to one another.