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Woman Claims Kanye West Ordered Her to Steal Car In Bizarre Incident

BY JO Mensah September 10, 2024 12:49 PM EDT
Kanye West
Kanye West Photo source: @ballersraps

A Louisville woman named Ricki Smith, 28, is facing serious charges after allegedly attempting to steal a car with a child inside.

The events unfolded on the morning of August 30th in Evansville, Illinois, on North Main Street, where Smith was reportedly seen trying to get into multiple vehicles.

Authorities state that Smith eventually focused her efforts on a specific car, which had a child inside while the mother was in a nearby store. When the car’s owner noticed the intrusion, she acted swiftly, pulling Smith out of the vehicle before any harm could be done.

Police intervened and questioned Smith about her actions. In a twist that has raised eyebrows, Smith reportedly told officers that she was acting on orders from Kanye West, claiming he had “telegraphically” communicated with her to carry out the theft.

As a result, Smith is now facing charges of Attempted Kidnapping and Attempted Auto Theft. She is currently being held in the Vanderburgh County Jail with a $10,000 bond. A court hearing is scheduled for September 5th.

While Smith’s account may sound outlandish, it’s made all the more curious by the timing. On the same day that she was reportedly receiving remote instructions from West, the rapper was busy preparing for his upcoming Vultures listening experience in China. The event, which Kanye had announced earlier in the week on social media, is set for September 15th at an undisclosed venue.

This show, a collaboration with Ty Dolla $ign, was originally slated to take place in Taiwan but was canceled without explanation. Kanye’s connection to China runs deeper than this upcoming event, as he spent part of his childhood there while his mother was a lecturer at Nanjing University.

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