Herbert Wright III, known as rapper G Herbo, could face over a year in jail after pleading guilty to credit card fraud, in which he stole credit card information to pay for an opulent lifestyle, including private jets and designer puppies.
G Herbo entered a guilty plea to plotting to commit wire fraud and making false statements in federal court in Springfield, Massachusetts, by an agreement made with prosecutors last year. Prosecutors dismissed multiple charges of aggravated identity theft in return.
G Herbo Faces Over a Year in Jail
According to ABC News, G Herbo is set to be sentenced on Thursday. In the sentencing memo, the prosecutors argue that he should serve a year and a day in prison and receive 36 months of supervised release. They also want him to pay a $55,000 fine, enter a restitution order of nearly $140,000, and a forfeiture judgment of almost $140,000.
In addition to the $140,000 he consented to forfeit, prosecutors claimed that he also benefited from a $1.5 million scheme that involved other people.
Prosecutors argue the recommended sentence considers "the nature and circumstances of the offense and the history and characteristics of the defendant" and adequately reflects "the seriousness of the offense."
Defense attorneys called for probation and said that G Herbo regretted his crimes. The attorneys also emphasized his community service and how he has grown as a human being, family man, and father.
According to G Herbo's sentencing memo, a sentence of probation will reflect the seriousness of the charge and protect the public under the circumstances of the case.
G Herbo Committed Fraud With Crew Members
G Herbo and his promoter, Antonio Strong, shared account information obtained from dark websites via emails, texts, and social media platforms between March 2017 and November 2018.
Furthermore, the authorities claimed that the rapper and crew members used stolen account information to pay for a chartered jet. G Herbo and seven others paid nearly $15,000 with a stolen account to spend several days at a six-bedroom Jamaican property.
In the court documents, the prosecutors noted that G Herbo used the profits of these frauds to travel to various concert venues. He also used them to advance his career by posting photographs and videos of himself on private jets, in exotic cars, and at the Jamaican villa.
The indictment reported that G Herbo helped Strong purchase two designer Yorkshire terrier puppies from a Michigan pet store using a fake Washington state driver's license and a stolen credit card. The prosecutors said that the overall expense exceeded $10,000.
Strong instructed the pet shop owner to contact G Herbo on Instagram to confirm the purchase, and G Herbo verified he was purchasing the puppies.
The transactions proceeded since the credit card information that was taken was authentic. Later, the real credit card holders discovered and reported the crime.
