Ever heard of a Sony PlayStation box bringing down a multi-million dollar drug empire? It sounds like a bad Netflix plot, but for Teeauna White, it was the beginning of a very real federal prison sentence. People often look at these high-profile cases and see only the headlines—"Money Laundering" or "Drug Kingpin’s Girlfriend"—but the actual mechanics of how White ended up in a cell involve a bizarre mix of fentanyl, luxury cars, and some really ill-advised Instagram posts.
Honestly, the story starts in Novi, Michigan, not California where White lived. Federal agents found 30 kilograms of fentanyl and half a million in cash at a stash house. At the time, it was the biggest fentanyl bust in Michigan's history. And how did they find it? They traced a UPC code from a PlayStation box used to ship heroin. Talk about a technicality.
Teeauna White: Federal Prison and the Money Gang Meal Clique
Teeauna White wasn't the one selling the bricks on the corner. She was the one managing the "vibe" and the bank accounts. Her boyfriend, Maurice McCoy, was the leader of what they called the "Money Gang Meal Clique" (MGMC). It sounds like a rap label because that's exactly how they branded it. They had a recording studio called "Another Level" and a clothing line called "Pretty Pockets."
Basically, these were fronts. The feds argued these businesses were just funnels for drug money. While McCoy was moving kilograms of fentanyl across the country, White was handling the cash. According to court records, one distributor brought $100,000 in cash to their California home, and White was the one who took the bundles to another room.
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The Lifestyle that Fed the Feds
You’ve probably seen the social media tropes: the Bentleys, the Mercedes, the diamond pendants. White lived this to the extreme. She was posting pictures of lavish vacations and luxury cars while reporting almost no income on her tax returns. That’s a massive red flag for the IRS.
- The House: They bought a $575,000 eight-bedroom home in Moreno Valley.
- The Scheme: Since McCoy was a convicted felon with no "legitimate" income, they used his cousin, Robin Herndon, to buy the house through a shell company.
- The Paper Trail: They paid off that house in less than six months using cash. Who does that? People who have literal bags of cash sitting in their living room.
The Trial and the Social Media Mistake
Most of the 18 people indicted in this case took a plea deal. Maurice McCoy took 22 years. But Teeauna White and Robin Herndon decided to go to trial. It lasted 13 days in a Detroit federal court. In July 2023, the jury didn't buy the "legitimate business" defense. They convicted her of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
But here is where it gets kind of wild. After the verdict, while she was out on bond awaiting sentencing, White went on social media. She didn't just post a "sad face" emoji. She allegedly posted threats against the witnesses who had testified against her.
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The judge was not amused. Her bond was revoked immediately. She spent about four months in the Livingston County Jail just waiting to hear her fate. That's a rough way to spend your last months of "freedom."
Where is Teeauna White now?
In December 2023, U.S. District Judge Terrence Berg sentenced Teeauna White to 42 months (3.5 years) in federal prison. She was also ordered to forfeit her interest in that Moreno Valley home.
She didn't go down without a fight, though. Just recently, in July 2025, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals heard her case. She tried to argue that the search warrants for her iCloud and her house were invalid. She claimed the feds left out "exculpatory" info about her businesses. The court basically said "nice try" and affirmed her conviction.
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Her current status is serving out that sentence in the federal system. Federal prison isn't like state jail; there is no parole. You serve about 85% of your time if you're on your best behavior.
Key Takeaways from the White Case
If you're following this case because you're interested in the legalities or just the drama, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Digital Footprints Matter: The feds used White’s own iCloud and social media posts as primary evidence. Your "private" data isn't private once a warrant is signed.
- Money Laundering is Broad: You don't have to touch the drugs to get a conspiracy charge. Handling the proceeds is enough to land you years in a cell.
- The Feds are Patient: This investigation went back to 2017. They waited years to build a bulletproof case before making the big arrests.
If you are looking for more info on the specific facilities where federal inmates are held or how to track an inmate's status, the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) website is the only official source. You can use their "Inmate Locator" tool with her name or register number to see her current location and projected release date.
Stay away from the "Pretty Pockets" lifestyle if the pockets aren't actually yours.