Tekashi 6ix9ine just got out of a New York federal prison, and his most unlikely jailhouse friendship produced the strangest souvenir imaginable

Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, was released from New York’s Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn. He walked out with two things people are talking about: a massive $2.2 million chain and a SpongeBob SquarePants doll signed by captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

In an Instagram video posted after his release, Tekashi is seen holding a stack of papers in one hand and the SpongeBob toy in the other. He shows off, saying, “Look, Maduro signed it! Maduro, second of April, Venezuela forever.” He also debuted a chain with nearly 400 carats of stones. He wrote, “Fresh OUT THE FEDS $2,200,000 on my neck. GOD IS THE GREATEST. MY LORD AND SAVIOR,” and added, “MADURO SIGNED MY JAIL HOUSE SPONGE9INE.”

This time, Tekashi was sent to MDC after violating the terms of his probation in January, according to the New York Post. The violation came after he assaulted a man and was found with MDMA and cocaine in his bedroom. His lawyer and the Bureau of Prisons both confirmed his release. His previous time behind bars was in 2019 for his involvement with the violent Nine Trey Gangsta Blood gang, from which he was released early due to the COVID pandemic.

Maduro is facing serious drug trafficking charges while his trial pushes forward despite legal challenges

Nicolás Maduro, the former Venezuelan leader, has been held at MDC since January of this year after being captured in Caracas by US forces on January 3. He and his wife, Cilia Flores, were arraigned in New York City on January 5. Federal prosecutors allege that Maduro and his co-conspirators spent decades working with violent drug traffickers and corrupt officials to move large amounts of cocaine into the United States.

On March 26, 2026, Maduro and Flores appeared in federal court in New York City before U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who rejected a request by one of their lawyers to dismiss the drug trafficking charges. Maduro’s attorney, Barry Pollack, had argued that the U.S. government was improperly blocking his clients from accessing funds to pay for their defense.

“I’m not going to dismiss the case,” Hellerstein stated clearly. MDC has also been at the center of other high-profile legal controversies, including questions surrounding Jeffrey Epstein’s death in federal custody.

The judge did not immediately decide whether Maduro could use Venezuelan government funds for his legal defense. Pollack argued that Maduro was entitled to use those resources, but Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Wirshba countered that while the defendants have a right to defend themselves with money that is lawfully theirs, “they do not have the ability to access third-party funds.”

At the courthouse, Maduro and his wife sat in beige prison outfits, separated by their lawyers, and listened to the proceedings through headsets providing Spanish translation. According to NBC News, after the hearing, Maduro shook hands with his lawyer and said, “Hasta mañana,” before both he and Flores were escorted out by the U.S. Marshals.

Outside, large groups of both supporters and opponents held noisy demonstrations, with signs ranging from “Maduro-Rot in Jail” to “Free President Maduro.” President Trump, speaking at a Cabinet meeting in Washington, called Maduro a “major purveyor of drugs coming into our country” and said he would receive a “fair trial,” while hinting that “other trials coming” could address things that the current charges are “a fraction of.”

Tekashi’s release also draws comparisons to other notable prison exits in recent memory, such as how George Santos made money right after leaving prison. Prosecutors have also requested a protective order to prevent Maduro and Flores from sharing case materials with four co-defendants still at large, citing Maduro’s history of threatening opponents and risks to witnesses and ongoing investigations.