Zohran Mamdani Appoints Ex-Con Rapper Who Served 7 Years for Armed Robbery as Criminal Justice Adviser

New York City's incoming mayor has made a choice that's got people talking—and not in a good way. Zohran Mamdani's picked Mysonne Linen, a rapper who did seven years in prison for armed robbery, to advise him on criminal justice. The appointment is raising eyebrows across the city.

The decision to elevate a figure convicted of violently targeting taxi drivers stands in stark contrast to Mamdani's campaign rhetoric, which frequently championed cabbies as the city's 'unsung heroes' and central to his working-class coalition.

The Robberies That Ended a Career

Before his incarceration, Linen was poised for mainstream success. At 49, he is now known for his activism, but in the late 1990s, his debut album was scheduled for release on Def Jam Recordings, featuring collaborations with industry heavyweights like Busta Rhymes and LL Cool J.

Prosecutors derailed those plans, alleging that Linen was the ringleader of a crew targeting drivers in the Bronx. Court records indicate that in June 1997, the group robbed cab driver Joseph Eziri, striking him with a beer bottle during the assault. In a subsequent incident in March 1998, prosecutors stated he held up cabbie Francisco Monsanto at gunpoint, stealing jewellery and cash. Both drivers identified Linen as the perpetrator at trial.

Linen turned down a one-year plea deal and was convicted on weapons possession and felony robbery charges in July 1999. He faced up to 50 years but ultimately served seven. He has maintained over the years that he did not commit the crimes, telling VladTV in 2017 that he could have avoided prison if he'd cooperated with police, but 'it was my burden'.

'We Are Building Something Different'

Linen has since rebranded as a community activist focused on gun violence prevention and criminal justice reform. When Mamdani appointed him to sit on the criminal legal system committee—one of 17 transition committees—Linen took to Instagram to celebrate.

'This is a testament to our decades of work advocating on behalf of black and brown communities and our expertise in gun violence prevention, legislative advocacy and criminal justice reform,' he wrote. 'We are building something different.'

Public Outcry and Radical Associations

That 'something different' is exactly what's worrying critics. Jews Fight Back posted on X that 'Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani just appointed a convicted armed robber to help shape NYC's crime and policing policy'. They called it 'insane', adding that 'New York City is being handed over to radicals, extremists and outright terrorists'.

The post included a photo of Linen with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, whose history of antisemitic rhetoric has made him a pariah in mainstream politics.

A Pattern of Ideological Appointments

Mamdani's transition team picks are raising questions about where he is taking the city. He has also appointed Lumumba Bandele, who has campaigned to free Black nationalists convicted of murdering police officers, to his community organising committee.

Furthermore, Alex Vitale, who wrote The End of Policing and a prominent advocate for police abolition,, is on the community safety committee. So is Tamika Mallory, who was removed from the Women's March in 2019 over anti-semitism allegations.

This lineup suggests a deliberate strategy to dismantle traditional policing structures

The appointments will be 'tasked with not only making personnel recommendations but policy recommendations', Mamdani said when announcing his 17 committees.

What This Means for New York

Mamdani's a democratic socialist who won on promises to overhaul the status quo. His anti-cop rhetoric during the campaign already had people nervous. Now his transition team picks are confirming some of those fears.

The administration faces a critical test: the question is whether appointing people with criminal records to criminal justice positions represents progressive reform or dangerous naivety.

Linen's supporters would argue he is proof that the system can work—that someone can pay their debt to society and contribute meaningfully afterwards. His critics see a convicted armed robber getting a say in how the city deals with crime. It is a stark choice, and New Yorkers are going to be living with the consequences either way.