Image via Getty/Brian Stukes
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, 33-year-old Chad Arrington, aka “Chad Focus,” received his sentence Wednesday, more than a year after he pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud conspiracy. The charge stemmed from a multi-year scheme in which Chad Focus allegedly used a company credit card to make more than $4 million worth of fraudulent purchases. Prosecutors say he had used the stolen money to buy billboards across the U.S., including one in Times Square that touted him as the “#1 recording artist in the world.” He is also accused of using some of that money to purchase social media followers as well as services that artificially increased online streaming of his songs.
Chad Focus Sentenced to 30 Months for Stealing $4M to Finance Rap Career
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According to The Baltimore Sun, rapper Chad Focus, real name Chad Arrington, was sentenced to over two years in prison for charging $4,142,435.31 on the company card for his former employer, Agora Publishing. His prison time will be followed by 12 months of home confinement as part of three years of supervised release, and Arrington was ordered to pay restitution in the full amount of the victim’s losses, totaling $4,142,435.31.
Arrington admitted to using the credit card to purchase sound equipment, studio kits, instruments, and music technology to further his rap career, which also included a company he created called Focus Music Entertainment LLC. Arrington also paid for likes, followers, tags, and views across social media platforms, promotions for his music, and he bought billboards throughout the country to promote his music and music company. In addition, Arrin
Chad Focus admitted in a guilty plea that he stole from his employer to enhance his music career. The 33-year-old put up billboards in Times Square and Baltimore claiming he was the “No. 1 recording artist in the world.”
The bizarre and enormous Times Square billboard for CHAD FOCUS, “#1 ARTIST IN THE WORLD” pic.twitter.com/aa9sx1piJG
“I literally talked to Chad earlier this week,” WMAR2’s Michelle Richardson relayed. “He was in good spirits and he’ll be okay!”
I literally talked to Chad earlier this week. He was in good spirits and he’ll be okay!
Randallstown rapper ‘Chad Focus,’ who stole $4 million to finance his music career, gets 30 months in federal prison. https://t.co/qBmYgIA5e4