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Hip-Hop Editor Lied to Protect Embezzler Boyfriend
18 Sep
Summary
- Former Source editor guilty of lying to investigators.
- She protected boyfriend involved in $300,000 embezzlement.
- Couple indulged in lavish spending with stolen funds.
Kimberly Osorio, the former editor-in-chief of influential hip-hop magazine The Source, has pleaded guilty to lying to investigators. The 52-year-old admitted on Thursday to falsely stating she did not hide the phone of her boyfriend, Rashad Ruhani. Ruhani, 57, is implicated in embezzling over $300,000 from the Queens Defenders organization.
Prosecutors stated that Ms. Zeno, the founder of Queens Defenders, and Mr. Ruhani used the stolen public funds for personal luxuries, including a trip to Bali and car repairs. Both pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy earlier this year. Mr. Ruhani received a sentence of four years and nine months, while Ms. Zeno was sentenced to three years and seven months.
During a flight in June 2025, Ms. Osorio aided Mr. Ruhani, who was under investigation, in disposing of his phone. She also used her phone to search for terms like "wire fraud." Upon arrival at the airport, Osorio denied traveling with anyone. She faces potential jail time or probation.
Ms. Osorio, who became The Source's first female editor in chief in 2002, had a prior legal victory against the magazine in 2006 for wrongful termination and harassment. Her connection to Mr. Ruhani, who has a history of prison time, is unclear.
