Share and Follow
In a significant development, authorities have apprehended five individuals in connection with the tragic overdose of Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez, the grandson of renowned actor Robert De Niro, which occurred in 2023.
As reported by ABC News on Thursday, October 30, Grant McIver, Bruce Epperson, Eddie Barreto, John Nicolas, and Roy Nicolas are facing charges for allegedly distributing counterfeit opioid pills infused with fentanyl and other substances to wealthy teens in New York City. Prosecutors assert that these individuals were part of an illicit operation responsible for circulating thousands of such dangerous pills.
While the indictment did not specify the victims, sources within law enforcement confirmed to the media outlet that Leandro, along with Akira Stein—daughter of Blondie’s guitarist and cofounder, Chris Stein—were among those who succumbed to these counterfeit drugs.
Earlier, in September 2023, Sophia Marks faced charges for distributing narcotics related to Leandro’s death. Her alleged involvement in drug distribution earned her the moniker “Percocet Princess” before her arrest.
UPDATE: 5/1/25 at 12:19 a.m. ET — In a statement to Variety, Robert De Niro expressed unwavering support for his daughter Airyn De Niro, stating, “I loved and supported Aaron as my son, and now I love and support Airyn as my daughter. I don’t know what the big deal is. I love all my children.” […]
Us Weekly has reached out to Robert’s spokesperson for comment.
According to the New York City medical examiner’s office, Leandro died at age 19 from a lethal combination of fentanyl, bromazolam, alprazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, ketamine and cocaine in July 2023. NYPD officers found the 19-year-old unresponsive when they answered an emergency call in Lower Manhattan and later pronounced him dead.
Robert and his ex-wife Diahnne Abbott’s daughter Drena De Niro released a heartwrenching statement to confirm the death of her only son at the time.
“My beautiful sweet angel. I have loved you beyond words or description from the moment I felt you in my belly. You have been my joy, my heart and all that was ever pure and real in my life,” Drena, 58, wrote via Instagram in July 2023. “I wish I was with you right now. I wish I was with you.”
She continued. “I don’t know how to live without you but I’ll try to go on and spread the love and light that you so made me feel in getting to be your mama. You were so deeply loved and appreciated and I wish that love alone could have saved you 😞.”
The following day, Robert, 82, said that he was “deeply distressed” in his first public comments about his grandson Leandro’s tragic death.
Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez Courtesy Instagram / Drena De Niro
“We’re greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone. We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo,” he requested.
In February 2024, the Meet the Parents actor reflected on his “disbelief” over Leandro’s overdose, acknowledging that it was “just a shock” for his entire family.
“[I] never thought it would happen,” he told People.
The two-time Academy Award winner admitted that he often wondered whether he’d done enough to help his grandson.
“I just then started thinking about all the things I could have, should have done maybe with him,” Robert said. “I don’t know if that would’ve made a difference. And so that’s always playing through my mind. … It shouldn’t have happened.”
Robert De Niro is expressing his love for his daughter Airyn, who recently came out as transgender. “As long as they’re not hurting themselves, doing anything that’s destructive or anything like that, you have to support them. Period,” the Oscar winner, 81, said in an interview with Entertainment Tonight on Wednesday, June 4. Airyn, 29, […]
Robert is a father of seven children. He shares eldest daughter Drena and son Raphael De Niro from his 12-year marriage to Abbott, which ended in divorce in 1988. During his eight-year relationship with model Toukie Smith, the couple welcomed twins Julian and Airyn.
The Taxi Driver star also shares two children — Elliot and Helen — from his second marriage to Grace Hightower, which lasted from 1997 to 2018. Robert became a father again at 79 when he and his girlfriend Tiffany Chen welcomed daughter Gia Virginia Chen-De Niro in April 2023.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.