Source: Prince Williams / Getty
Baby Blue of the group Pretty Ricky was recently convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud after being accused of filing fraudulent applications in orders to receive loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Before he turns himself into FCI Coleman federal prison on Feb. 7, to serve 20 months, he had a few things to say about his case. Even though he is accused of scamming the government out of millions of dollars, he said he was the one who was really scammed by the people who brought him into this whole mess.
“Honestly, The informants in my case made me their SCAPEGOAT Made it seem like we was part of the scam but in reality, THEY SCAMMED ME & OTHER CELEBS,” he tweeted. “They told lies on US for less time wrongly convicting victims Unfortunately, being ‘NAIVE’ isn’t a defense in the court of law!”
He added, “You think imma miss my chance on being a real n**** by telling? Gimme them 20 months, imma knock that s*** out! Be home in no time!”
Baby Blue, born Diamond Smith, pled guilty on Aug. 4, after he admitted to lying on PPP loan applications according to the Department of Justice. He filed one for his business Throwbackjersey.com LLC, which was granted a loan of almost $427,000. His other company, Blue Star Records, was given a loan of $708,000. The “Grind On Me” rapper admitted to using the funds on a Ferrari, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and other lavish items. He also gave the men who led the $24 million scam, James R. Stote and Phillip J. Augustin, $250,000.
“We all make mistakes…I admit I made a mistake,” he said in an Instagram post back in December 2021. “I’ve learned from it the hard way and won’t make it again. My mistakes don’t define me as a man and I will come out of this more than I was before. With more integrity, more character, more knowledge of my self, more wiser, more stronger!”
Besides his prison sentence, Smith has to pay $1,111345.23 in restitution and $1,134,782 in forfeiture.
