Five More Arrested in Connection to Robert De Niro’s Grandson’s 2023 Overdose Death

Five men have been arrested in connection with the drug overdose that killed Robert De Niro’s grandson, Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez, in 2023. Court records show that federal prosecutors charged the men with conspiring to distribute drugs that led to the 19-year-old’s death.

Investigators say the group sold fake Xanax pills that were actually laced with fentanyl. The operation allegedly spread across New York City and parts of Long Island, where they used social media to promote and sell the drugs.

According to prosecutors, De Niro-Rodriguez was one of three 19-year-olds who died in the summer of 2023 after taking fentanyl-laced pills linked to the same network.

Leandro was found unconscious in his apartment on Wall Street in Lower Manhattan after police responded to a 911 call. He had just moved to the city for a theater internship on Broadway, only two days before his death. The medical examiner ruled the death an accident, caused by a deadly mix of fentanyl and several other substances.

His mother, Drena De Niro, shared her grief publicly, writing, “Someone sold him fentanyl laced pills that they knew were laced yet still sold them to him. So for all these people still f**** around selling and buying this s***, my son is gone forever.”

Robert De Niro released a statement at the time, saying, “I’m deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo. We’re greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone. We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo.”

Leandro had been following in his family’s artistic path. He appeared alongside his mother in several films, including The Collection (2005), Cabaret Maxime (2018), and A Star Is Born (2018), where they portrayed a mother and son.

Authorities say the arrests are part of a larger effort to crack down on the sale of fake prescription drugs that have led to a rising number of overdose deaths across the country. The case is still under investigation.

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