Tonesa Welch – Former First Lady of the Black Mafia Family

November 6, 2025

This week on Inside the Life, Tonesa Welch, known as the First Lady of the Black Mafia Family, shares her journey and opens up about her pivotal role in Detroit’s illegal drug trade and the lasting legacy of BMF. As a key figure who helped connect Terry “Southwest Tee” and Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory with major suppliers, Tonesa served 30 months in prison for her involvement. Today, she has transformed her life, becoming a passionate advocate for victims of domestic violence and prison reform. 

Tonesa “Toni” Welch, known as the First Lady of BMF, stood at the heart of a drug trafficking empire that spanned 11 states and had ties to Mexican drug cartels. The Black Mafia Family grew from humble beginnings in Detroit in the late 1980s to controlling nearly half the nation’s cocaine market. After serving 30 months in prison for her involvement, Tonesa is now a producer, advocate and author of “Black Mafia Queen: The Woman Behind the BMF.” 

To pre-order a copy of Tonesa’s book, visit https://a.co/d/2joSkDI 

If you or someone you know are impacted by relationship abuse, you can reach the National Domestic Violence hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE or https://www.thehotline.org/ 

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