UPDATE (Dec. 9):

On Wednesday afternoon (Dec. 9) around 2:30 p.m., G Herbo appeared for his initial remote hearing in his federal fraud case. A rep from the U.S. Attorney’s Office—District of Massachusetts confirmed to XXL that the Chicago-bred rapper entered a not guilty plea on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft and one count of forfeiture.

Herbo was released on bail with conditions imposed by the United States District Court, Central District of California, which allows him to "travel to the districts of New York and New Jersey solely for the purpose of visiting his child," indicating that his girlfriend, Taina Williams, is pregnant with the rapper's child.

On another note, according to reporter Jason Meisner of the Chicago Tribune—the publication that initially broke the story on G Herbo's involvement in the fraud scheme– Herbo's attorney, James Lawson, referred to Williams in court as his client's fiancée, insinuating that they're actually engaged. He also said that Williams is four months pregnant and resides in New Jersey, hence Herbo's permission to travel to the state and the neighboring state of New York.

Herbo is also allowed to travel "to the district of Massachusetts solely for the purposes of conferring with his counsel and to attend court hearings" and "shall refrain from possessing a firearm, destructive device, or other dangerous weapons; Gov't to provide a list of witnesses and co-defendant's Order to stay away from."

Jason Meisner also noted that prosecutors have identified G Herbo's ex-girlfriend, Ariana Fletcher, as a witness in his case. Herbo has been prohibited from contacting Fletcher unless it pertains to their 2-year-old son, Yosohn.

This likely attributed to "Damn Ari" trending on Twitter Wednesday evening.

UPDATE (Dec. 3):

On Thursday (Dec. 3), the Department of Justice for the United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts released a statement, which was obtained by XXL today, indicating that G Herbo surrendered himself in the Central District of California. The defendants listed in this case, including Herbo, are to appear in court in Springfield, Mass. on Dec. 7.

G Herbo has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft and one count of forfeiture.

His aggravated identity theft charges provide for a mandatory two years in prison consecutive to any other sentence imposed if he is found guilty of the charges against him.

ORIGINAL STORY:

G Herbo is the latest rapper to face legal trouble this week.

According to a report from the Chicago Tribune on Wednesday (Dec. 2), G Herbo, born Herbert Wright III, has been charged in a federal fraud case occurring over a four-year period.

In federal documents that were sealed in U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mass. back in September, but were made public today, the Chicago rhymer has been accused of using fraudulent identification to charge more than $1 million worth of trips on private jets, limousine rides, exotic car rentals, a vacation at a villa in Jamaica and the purchase of two designer puppies in Michigan in 2017.

The 14-count indictment also reportedly includes Antonio "T-Glo" Strong, a music promoter and manager G Herbo knows. According to court documents obtained by XXL this evening, Strong participated in the use of fake email addresses between May 2016 and September 2020, to illicit account information and make unauthorized payments for private chef and private security guard services, private chartered yachts, private jets, commercial airline fraud and hotel fraud.

The federal filing also names Southside Chicago rapper Joseph "Joe Rodeo" Williams and alleged co-conspirators Steven Hayes Jr., Demario Sorrells and Terrence Bender. All three men are from the Chi as well.

In addition to using fraudulent information to vacation at a rental property in Jamaica, the defendants reportedly booked trips to Sunny Isles, Fla., Miami, Texas, New York, New Jersey and California. They also allegedly rented luxury vehicles such as a Bentley CGTC and Maybach S600.

The indictment is reportedly centered around the use of stolen credit card information and personal identities that were obtained from the "dark web" or other unnamed sources. The defendants would proceed to text or use social media to exchange  the stolen information that according to the charges were referred to in code as "cards," "moves" or "joints."

All defendants in the case have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identify theft. Strong, who was arrested by federal authorities in Chicago on Sept. 25, is facing a wire fraud charge as well. He has since been ordered by U.S. District Judge Robert Dow to appear in court for a removal hearing in Massachusetts in the custody of U.S. Marshal to face his pending charges there.

Judge Dow said in his ruling that Strong was "alleged to be the ringleader of a $1.5 million fraud," the Tribune reports. The fraud schemes include the use of "aliases and other people’s identities."

Joseph "Joe Rodeo" Williams turned himself in to authorities in Chicago on Nov. 24, and was granted bond to travel to Boston to appear in court on his own.

It is unclear if G Herbo and the other co-conspirators have agreed to turn themselves in or appear in court on their own merit.

XXL has reached out to G Herbo's attorney and his rep for a comment on this matter.

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