LOS ANGELES cops could face a $500million lawsuit after a former FBI agent claimed he has evidence that two "dirty" officers orchestrated the murder of rapper Notorious B.I.G. then the department covered it up.

The explosive claims may open the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) to a crippling lawsuit from the hip hop legend's family, their attorney and an author of a book on the case told Sun Online.

6 Notorious B.I.G. was gunned down on March 9, 1997 as he drove with pals in Los Angeles

Former head of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, Philip Carson, claims he had enough evidence 15 years ago to file charges against two crooked LAPD officers over the killing of Biggie Smalls, whose real name is Christopher Wallace.

But his bosses at the time shut down his investigation due to pressure from the LAPD, Carson says.

When the federal agent retired in 2016, he took with him almost 3,000 pages of case documents and told his story to filmmakers who made an upcoming movie City of Lies, starring Johnny Depp, about the case.

Carson told one of the movie’s producers Don Sikorski that his documents could rock the foundations of LA’s law enforcement, in a tape shared with Sun Online.

6 Johnny Depp stars in an upcoming movie inspired by Carson's claims called City of Lies Credit: City of Lies

“It’s bulls**t and here’s what gets under my skin more than anything," Carson says in the recording.

“LAPD, all the way to the very very f***ing top, knew exactly what was going on.

“They briefed on certain stuff, I met with them and for them to say anything different - I could prove to you not only how they knew, but how they obstructed this case, and how they completely derailed it.

“It’s hard for me to even explain how amazing it is what they did.”

6 Biggy was a passenger in the car when he was shot four times

Carson believes that Marion ‘Suge’ Knight, the former CEO of Death Row Records who signed rappers including Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg and Tupac, employed the LAPD cops and ordered them to arrange Wallace’s murder.

At the time, Carson’s line manager signed off on his report, but the case was rebuffed by the United States Attorney’s office, allegedly after pressure from the LAPD.

He says senior members of the LAPD then conspired with his bosses at the FBI and prosecutors to keep his evidence secret.

Carson believes top officials were trying to save the city from bankruptcy after Biggie’s mum Voletta filed a $500,000 lawsuit over her son’s death - and didn’t want him testifying.

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Carson's claims are also set to be published in Dead Wrong, a new book due spring 2019 by author Randall Sullivan, writer of LAbyrinth, the groundbreaking book on which City of Lies is based.

Sullivan told Sun Online: “The LAPD was at risk of ceasing to exist, the financial hit [of the lawsuit] was going to be so enormous.

“There were already preliminary plans for either the sheriff’s department or the federal government to take over the LAPD, because the hit and the legal consequences were going to be enormous.

“I think this information could result in a refiling of the case and maybe the filing of additional criminal charges.

“It certainly does implicate (the officers) in Biggie’s murder.

6 Biggie's mum tried to sue the city of Los Angeles in 2005 but ended up withdrawing her lawsuit

“I wouldn’t presume to speak for Voletta Wallace, but I think there’s a good chance it’ll be refiled, and I think it’ll be because of what they’ve learned from reading the book.”

Perry Sanders, one of the attorney's for the rapper's family, said they believed Carson's explosive claims and were deciding whether to take action.

"We are digesting this stuff,” he said. “Obviously it’s disturbing that the behind the scene action was so intense and was designed to avoid a murder being prosecuted.

“Phil was an honest cop from all I knew. Straight shooter. I’d believe whatever he says about this. He has no reason to lie.”

6 Suge Knight, currently in prison for a fatal hit-and-run, denies any involvement in Biggie's murder

Notorious B.I.G. was gunned down in a car on his way back from a party in LA, March 1997.

At 12:45am his SUV was stopped at a red light when a car pulled up alongside and wound down its window.

A black man dressed in a suit and bow tie unloaded the magazine of a 9mm pistol into Biggie’s SUV, hitting him four times. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital later that night.

Investigating the case six years later, Carson asked the LAPD for files on their murder investigation. He claims the department responded by hiding and removing key documents.

Despite the alleged obstruction, the FBI officer discovered that two of the cops closely tied to the Biggie case were found to be crooked.

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Working with police informants and attorneys for Biggie’s family, the FBI agent built up a case alleging an LAPD cover-up behind Biggie’s murder after the two officers allegedly orchestrated the killing.

Knight, who was sentenced in September to 28 years for killing a man in a hit and run, has denied involvement in Wallace’s death.

Sun Online has reached out to LAPD for comment.