Chael Sonnen should work in a grave yard, so he can bury his own career.
While news of a reduced sentenced off of an original 12-month suspension handed down by the California State Athletic Commission following a post-UFC 117 drug screening would be generally good news after a tumultuous period of time spent contemplating his mixed martial arts career, it looks like Sonnen will now have time to reflect on what was a burgeoning career as a realtor–well, that’s all down the drain now.
It has been reported that Sonnen has plead guilty to federal charges of Money Laundering just early today and could be facing jail time. All this comes after the Oregon native is scheduled to face PRIDE veteran Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 128.
MMAJunkie.com first reported the new middleweight affair which takes place at UFC 128 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey–however, the match up pitting Sonnen against Akiyama has now been gravely over shadowed by the recent news of Chael’s new escapades as a potentially convicted felon.
Charges of Money Laundering can cost Sonnen a maximum of 20 years in prison in addition to a $500,000 fine, if convicted. Chael has reportedly plead guilty, and as such has reached a plea bargain, that is according to The Oregonian, which acts as a news beacon for the entire Oregon area. Along with the deal, The District Attorney’s office has contended that Chael will face a two-year probation as well as a $10,000 fine and have his Realtor’s license revoked for his actions.
And what action’s exactly might you ask? MMAJunkie.com has done a great job keeping up with the story, and this is what they have been able to gather:
“The District Attorney states Sonnen conducted a financial transaction that was “designed to conceal or disguise the ownership and control of the proceeds of wire fraud.”
“This office will continue to aggressively prosecute real estate professionals who committed the mortgage fraud that contributed to this country’s economic downturn and wreaked havoc on our community’s housing market,” Dwight Holton, U. S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, stated in the release.
As part of his plea deal, Sonnen agreed to give up his Realtor’s license and pay a $10,000 fine, said Michelle Holman Kerin, the assistant U.S. attorney handling the case.”
The 33-year-old will face sentencing just 10 days after his proposed match with Akiyama on March 19.
So, MMA peeps, is everyone excited for Akiyama and Sonnen?! That was a rhetorical question, of course. How do you think this will effect Chael in the long run? All political aspirations have now definitely gone out the window with the kind of bad luck that the middleweight fighter has run in the last several months, and now it looks like Sonnen has only fighting to fall back on. Sound off in the comment section below.
Loading ...
I hate the trash talking of Sonnen but I don’t wish that this would happen to him. I still believe he is a good fighter.
it’s sad that habitual liars like sonnen get play the systerm and get off easy, and even more sad that people like dr. de are supporting them.
If the Oregon officials really want to crack down on the people that created the real estate mess they need to imprison the Democrats and those behind the 1996 housing reinvestment act that said that race and not creditworthiness were the paramount consideratinos in giving mortgages.
Of course Obama, Pelosi at all never acknowledge the role they played in creating the misery that they then spent 2 years and $5trillino making worse.
Sonnen is a great fighter and I wish him nothing but the best in the ring and in life…