Chicago rapper G Herbo pleads guilty to using stolen credit cards to fund lavish lifestyle
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago rapper G Herbo pleaded guilty on Friday to his role in a scheme to use stolen credit card information to fund his extravagant lifestyle – renting private jets, a luxury Jamaican villa, and exotic cars; and buying designer puppies.
The rapper, whose real name is Herbert Wright III, was indicted alongside five other men in October 2020 on wire fraud, conspiracy, and identity theft charges. As part of a deal with federal prosecutors, at a hearing in federal court in Massachusetts, he pleaded guilty on Friday to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of making a false statement to a federal official.
He faces up to 20 years in prison on the conspiracy charge and up to 5 years on the false statement charge when he is sentenced on Nov. 7. He also faces fines of up to $500,000.
Wright and his co-defendants were accused of using the stolen credit card information for private jet and yacht charters, exotic car rentals, luxury hotel and vacation rentals, designer puppies, private chef and security guard services, limousine and chauffeur searches, commercial airline flights, consumer good, and meals.
"Mr. Wright used stolen account information as his very own unlimited funding source, using victims' payment cards to finance an extravagant lifestyle and advance his career. Mr. Wright's conduct affected countless businesses and individuals across the United States who had to foot his nearly $140,000 bill in unauthorized transactions," acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy said in a statement. "Mr. Wright flaunted his lavish spending on social media, in music videos and in industry news. This office and our law enforcement partners are committed to ensuring that individuals and businesses are protected against fraudsters. This case should serve as a reminder that if you break the law, you will be prosecuted and held accountable – regardless of who you are."
Federal authorities have said, between March 2017 and November 2018, Wright and his co-defendants conspired to use stolen credit card information to fly all around the country.
The stolen information included actual credit cardholder's names, addresses, payment card account numbers, security codes, and expiration dates, the indictment said.
The transactions were all successfully processed, the indictment said. The cardholders generally did end up disputing the charges, which ended up getting reversed – with the merchants left to take the losses.
The defendants obtained the credit card information from the dark web and from co-conspirators, the indictment said.
According to federal investigators, Wright and his co-defendants used the stolen credit card information for rentals of four private charter jets, $34,000 worth of exotic car rentals, a stay at a luxury villa in Jamaica, more than $10,000 on designer puppies.
According to the plea deal, Wright admitted he was responsible for nearly $140,000 in losses to his victims.
Wright also admitted to lying to federal investigators when he was questioned about the fraud, and claimed he never provided one of his co-defendants with any money, nor received anything of value from him.