Chad Focus, the Baltimore man who prosecutors say made $4.1 million in credit card fraud to promote himself as a "rap mogul," is scheduled to be sentenced in six weeks.
U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett will hand down a sentence at 3 p.m. Dec. 2, according to court records. Chad Focus pleaded guilty to a fraud charge last February.
Chad Focus, whose real name is Chad Arrington, has been out of custody for all of 2020 and is currently working at a gym, according to court records. As part of a plea deal with federal prosecutors, he is required to pay back the $4.1 million he was charged with stealing through a credit card fraud scheme.
The fraud charge carries a maximum of 20 years in prison, but because of his lack of criminal history and acceptance of a plea deal, federal prosecutors will seek significantly less. The plea deal lists his "offense level" at 22, which under federal sentencing guidelines typically means a prison term of 3-5 years.
According to prosecutors, Chad Focus used illicit credit card transactions to create a persona of himself as a successful rapper and businessman, using the money for jewelry, online self-promotion, and even to boost ticket sales for his own concerts.
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