UFC Fighter Thanks Reputed Irish Mob Boss In Post-Fight Interview
A UFC fighter took time to thank a wanted transnational criminal in a post-fight interview Saturday.
Mounir Lazzez, the fighter in question, thanked Daniel Kinahan, referring to him as his “brother” after he emerged victorious Saturday — during a post-fight interview with commentator Daniel Cormier.
Mounir Lazzez grabbed the mic from DC 💀😭😭 pic.twitter.com/lVlTS8eRun
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“I would love to thank my coaches and my brother Daniel Kinahan,” Lazzez said interrupting Cormier. “Without him I would never be the man who I am today and my career to this point. Thanks a lot.”
The shoutout comes only days after the U.S. government imposed a $5 million reward for information leading to the crime boss’ arrest and conviction.
The U.S. Treasury put out a press release last week, sanctioning the entire Kinahan crime family and several of their associates, barring them from conducting business on American soil.
“The Kinahan Organized Crime Group smuggles deadly narcotics, including cocaine, to Europe, and is a threat to the entire licit economy through its role in international money laundering,” said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. “Criminal groups like the KOCG prey on the most vulnerable in society and bring drug-related crime and violence, including murder, to the countries in which they operate. Treasury is proud to have coordinated so closely with our international counterparts, and the U.S. government will continue to use every available resource to dismantle these criminal networks.”
Individually, Daniel Kinahan is allegedly in charge of running one of the world’s biggest cartels, drug trafficking, money laundering and an alleged gang war in Dublin and Spain that has resulted in 18 deaths, according to the New York Post.
The UFC fighter secured a unanimous decision victory over Ange Lossa but all anyone could talk about after the fight was Lazzez’s comments, to which he was unaware of the charges his friend was facing.
Mounir Lazzez was asked about his #UFCVegas51 post-win shoutout of suspected Irish mob boss Daniel Kinahan, who was sanctioned by the U.S. government and had a $5 million bounty placed on his head this week.
Here’s what he had to say: pic.twitter.com/Vsf0JTcrhX
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“I give the credit to whoever deserves credit. I’m not involved on stuff. I don’t know about it and I will investigate how it is,” Lazezz stated, adding that Kinahan is an “adviser” to him.
