Flippa Mafia - file

Deejay Flippa Mafia is currently being held in the Federal Detention Centre (FDC) in Miami as a material witness in an illegal alien smuggling case.

The deejay is alleged to have attempted to enter the United States on a boat from The Bahamas with the assistance of two men.

Flippa, whose real name is Andrew Kendrick Davis, is now being held as a prosecution witness against the men, Julio Santiesteban and Armando Amat, who are charged with encouraging and inducing an alien to enter or reside in the United States.

The artiste was arrested on March 16 and is scheduled to appear before the Duty Magistrate of the United States District Court of the Southern District of Florida tomorrow.

When THE WEEKEND STAR contacted Alicia O Valle, special counsel to the US Attorney, she emailed a document detailing the allegations against Davis. A summary of the case against Davis and two other men was included in an affidavit sworn by Matthew Parker, a special agent with the Department of Homeland Security, United StatesImmigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

immigration status

According to Special Agent Parker in the affidavit, during questioning; "Davis, a Jamaican national stated that he left the United States for Jamaica in December of 2009. Davis said that he knew he had no current legal immigration status in the US and that he knew he would not be able to lawfully re-enter the United States."

It further stated that, "on March 5, 2010, Davis flew from Jamaica to The Bahamas in order to see some friends and find a way to be smuggled into the United States."

While in The Bahamas, Davis allegedly met with a friend who agreed to smuggle him into the US. The friend then introduced Davis to two Cubans, Santiesteban and Amat, who had arrived to pick up a load of Chinese people that never arrived. Davis reportedly paid US $3000 (J$270,000) for passage to the United States.

The money was reportedly accepted and on March 15 an attempt was allegedly being made to transport Davis to United States on the boat. The United States Coast Guard intercepted the vessel, however, and conducted a search.

unaccounted person

Upon boarding the vessel, Parker said that the Coast Guard found Santiesteban and Amat, and during a search later found one unaccounted person (Davis) laying down in the cabin of the vessel. The men were taken in for questioning.

Davis is known for songs such as Dem Yah and Repeat. He is popularly known as the 'Flossing King' for his antics of throwing champagne and money into the crowd during performances.

There were rumours circulating previously that Davis, who mainly resided in Philadelphia, was having visa issues after a lengthy two month stay in Jamaica.

When previously contacted by THE WEEKEND STAR, he dismissed these rumours; "Dat a something weh mi nuh really waan chat bout but mi nuh travel pon visa, mi have temporary residence." He then noted that the issue is a personal matter and he is in the process of getting his green card.

He added, "In a 2005 dem seh Flippa stuck a Jamaica and that is when mi really decide seh mi ago tek up music serious and mi do Real Badman. Dem a gwaan like mi a nuh Jamaican."