Miami rapper Lazaro Lesteiro-Diaz, 26, known as Drakula and YungLazz, was arrested Thursday on multiple charges, including organized scheme to defraud, money laundering, and animal cruelty. The arrest followed an investigation into an alleged bank spoofing scheme, which investigators found Lesteiro-Diaz bragged about in his music.
During a search of his Miami-Dade home, authorities discovered a room described as being "full of Cuban Santeria/Voodoo witchcraft." Nearby, officers found a live baby goat named Valor in a cardboard box with orange paint around its neck, believed to be marked for slaughter. Two decapitated chickens were also found behind the residence. An arrest report obtained by WPLG News stated that FBI agents discovered a video of Lesteiro-Diaz holding two dead chickens consistent with those found.
Lesteiro-Diaz faces five counts: possession of a controlled substance, money laundering, organized scheme to defraud, unlawful possession of identification, and animal cruelty with intent to injure or kill. Investigators launched the probe after reviewing videos from June and July allegedly showing Lesteiro-Diaz promoting bank fraud schemes in his rap songs, which included lyrics about "boofing a plot" to access bank accounts. One livestream reportedly showed him displaying firearms, cash, suspected promethazine, and victims' personal information.
During the raid executed by the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office, Miami Police, and the FBI, investigators seized a Glock 21 with an extended magazine, ammunition, multiple identification documents, suspected cannabis, a call center headset, cash, a "Drakula" diamond chain, a diamond-encrusted watch, and bottles containing suspected "purple drank." The goat was removed from the property and placed under the care of Miami Animal Rescue, with students from Felix Varela High School's Veterinary Academy currently tending to it.
Lesteiro-Diaz allegedly admitted during questioning that the seized items belonged to him and that he bought the cough syrup to "cure his sickness." He also confessed to previously attempting to commit fraud before invoking his right to remain silent. He made his first court appearance on Friday, where a judge found probable cause for the charges and set his bond at $30,000. He is currently held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
This is not Lesteiro-Diaz's first encounter with law enforcement. In 2020, he was arrested for allegedly posting threatening messages online about wanting to kill individuals from specific demographic groups. He later received withheld adjudication for written threats to kill, with his probation terminated in 2022.