When G Herbo pled guilty wire fraud conspiracy last July, he could have faced up to three years in prison. Today, the Chicago rapper — and his fans — can breathe a sigh of relief, as he has been sentenced to three years of probation. While prosecutors wanted one year of prison time on top of the probation, the Massachusetts judge presiding over the case waived that requirement, although Herb was also ordered to pay restitution of $139,968 for each of his two violations (he also pled guilty to making false statements to a federal official, changing his initial plea) and a fine of $5,500.
Herbo was incicted in December 2020 along with five others due to their involvement in a scheme to use real credit card information to falsely purchase extravagant items and experiences, from flights on private jets to designer dogs. The purchases were facilitated by Antonio Strong from March 2017 through November 2018, with Herb contacting Strong about making the purchases, and Strong making the arrangements. Naturally, cardholders would eventually dispute the charges, with the businesses ultimately taking the losses when they inevitably failed to get Strong to make good.
Although prosecutors admit that Herbo himself wasn’t the one utilizing stolen cards, he had knowledge that Strong was doing so, which made him part of the conspiracy. He originally faced two counts of aggravated identity theft, which would have meant an automatic two-year sentence if convicted; his plea deal ensures that he’ll be able to stay out of prison — and hopefully have the chance to make money with his real job, rapping.