Jay Z Masters At The Center of Alleged $20 Million Extortion Plot, But Engineer Was Trying to Save The Tapes

Jay Z master recordings that were valued between $15 and $20 million are at the center of an alleged plot to extort the rapper.  

According to published reports, a collection of Jay Z master recordings is at the center of an alleged theft and extortion plot. 

The Jay Z recordings have been valued between $15 and $20 million. TMZ reported that the police have taken possession of the tapes.engineer Chauncey Mahan, who worked for Jay-Z from 1998 to 2004, allegedly had in his possession the master tapes from some of the rapper's biggest sellers, including Vol. 3: The Life And Times Of S. Carter, and The Dynasty: Roc La Familia. 

According to TMZ, Jay Z is allegedly being blackmailed by a former intern who wants $110,000 to return master recordings of songs that includes "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)" and "Holla." Mahan contacted Live Nation, which partnered with Jay Z to create Roc Nation in 2008, last week asking for $100,000 as a "storage fee" and eventually settled for $75,000. Police showed up to Mahan's storage space that same day and brought him in for questioning.

Mahan engineered records by Terror Squad, Beanie Sigel, Funkmaster Flex, 112, LL Cool J and other artists. Mahan is credited with programming Whitney Houston's cover of "I'm Every Woman" from The Bodyguard soundtrack.

Mahan told the police that he contacted Live Nation to let them know he planned to auction the recordings or hand them over to them for a $100,000 "storage fee." He went on to say that they had settled on a fee of $75,000.

According to reports, on Friday, April 18, when Mahan went to the storage facility where the recordings were being kept, he was detained by LAPD for questioning. He says he was not arrested. Mahan says the LAPD were contacted beforehand by Jay Z.

It is not known how Mahan got hold of the