Chael Sonnen pleads guilty.

[Deezy]

Guilty plea shadows Chael Sonnen vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 128
by John Morgan and Steven Marrocco on Jan 03, 2011 at 11:25 pm ET
Chael Sonnen's life just got a lot more complicated, as if it weren't already.

The UFC middleweight, who's currently serving a suspension from the California State Athletic Commission, today plead guilty to federal charges of money laundering – a charge that carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine – according to a release issued today by the U.S. District Attorney's Office in Oregon.

His sentencing is set to begin 10 days after he is expected to fight Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 128, according to sources close to the event, which today informed MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) of the pending booking just as news of the legal trouble broke.

UFC 128 takes place March 19 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., and features a light heavyweight title bout between champ Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and former champ Rashad Evans.

It's unknown whether a potential prison sentence will torpedo the middleweight bout's possibility as representatives from the UFC could not be reached at the time of this writing. However, The Oregonian is reporting Sonnen has reached a plea deal with the District Attorney that will result in a two-year probation, along with a $10,000 fine and the revocation of his realtor license.

Sonnen is currently serving a sentence of another sort, a suspension handed out by the California State Athletic Commission for elevated levels of testosterone following his fight-of-the-year candidate at UFC 117 with middleweight champion Anderson Silva. He was unsuccessful in appealing the punishment this past month at a CSAC hearing in Sacramento, Calif., though the commission voted to reduce his suspension from one year to six months while also issuing a $2,500 fine.

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.

Sonnen could not immediately be reached for comment.

Can check this under least likely headline I thought I would read today. After my bout with uncontrollable laughter I automatically thought, well he is white and Republican and this is a white collar crime, so worst case scenario would be 3-5 years max, but lets be honest here. Rampage got off scott-free for vehicular assault, pretty sure the newest and greatest villain of MMA is goind down for this.

thoughts?

 

[Deezy]

Update

Following money laundering conviction, Chael Sonnen suspended by UFC
by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Jan 04, 2011 at 6:05 pm ET
Chael Sonnen's problems continue to mount.

The oft-controversial middleweight on Monday plead guilty to federal charges of money laundering, and today he's been suspended by the UFC,

The news was first reported by TMZ.com, and MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) subsequently confirmed the suspension with a source close to the fighter.

"Chael Sonnen has gone through a lot in the last few months, and we think it's important for him to focus on getting his personal life together before focusing on his career in the UFC," UFC president Dana White told TMZ.com.

MMAjunkie.com was not immediately able to reach White for comment.

On Monday, MMAjunkie.com reported that Sonnen had been targeted for a UFC 128 matchup with Yoshihiro Akiyama. That bout is now apparently on hold, as TMZ.com reports Sonnen's contract "has been temporarily frozen."

The length of Sonnen's suspension has yet to be revealed.

Sonnen was charged with money laundering after taking part in a scheme to illegally net more than $69,000 in loan proceeds through the submission of a falsified repair order.

As part of his plea deal, Sonnen agreed to give up his realtor's license and pay a $10,000 fine, and the U.S. District Attorney's office is said to be seeking a two-year probation. Sonnen's official sentencing is set for March.

Sonnen is also currently serving a sentence of another sort, a suspension handed out by the California State Athletic Commission for elevated levels of testosterone following his fight-of-the-year candidate at UFC 117 with middleweight champion Anderson Silva. He was unsuccessful in appealing the punishment this past month at a CSAC hearing in Sacramento, Calif., though the commission voted to reduce his suspension from one year to six months while also issuing a $2,500 fine

Just keeps getting worse for Chael Fael Sonnen, can't happen to a nicer human being in my honest opinion.

 

[Troy]

Such odd news. It still takes me a bit to get it around my head that they have jobs outside of UFC and that only the top fighters in each division can afford to do this full time.

Idiot for trying to do this and it probably finishes his UFC career. Reading the second news article it doesn't sound as bad as the first since and it sounds like he will definitely escape any prison time. A $10k fine and two years probation isn't that bad after what it could have been.

 

[Deezy]

One-time UFC middleweight title contender Chael Sonnen will not be competing in the octagon anytime soon.

The California State Athletic Commission today ruled to uphold Sonnen's indefinite suspension, citing both a recent federal money-laundering conviction, as well as some questionable testimony following a positive result in a post-UFC 117 drug screen.

The CSAC made their ruling during today's special meeting, which took place at the Ronald Reagan State Office Building in Los Angeles. The motion passed with a vote of 4-1.

Sonnen can not reapply for a license before June 29, 2012. Should he elect to do so, he'll have to once again appear before the CSAC.

Following the ruling, Sonnen a request for comment by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

During today's testimony, Sonnen revealed the UFC was targeting him as a potential coach on the soon-to-film 14th season of "The Ultimate Fighter." Sonnen said the UFC planned to pit him against outspoken British striker Michael Bisping, and the two would meet in a No. 1 contender matchup at the end of the season.

Today's ruling likely nixes that option, as the Nevada State Athletic Commission – which holds jurisdiction over the participants in "TUF," which films in Las Vegas – generally upholds the rulings of other prominent commissions. Sonnen suggested during testimony that a failure to secure a license at today's hearing would likely lead to his retirement.

This past December, Sonnen was suspended six months and fined $2,500 by the CSAC for elevated levels of testosterone following his near-upset of UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. The term marked a reduced sentence from the one-year term he originally received.

In January, the CSAC suspended Sonnen's license indefinitely for his conviction on a federal charge of money laundering, as well as "providing false testimony" during an appeal hearing held this past December.

Sonnen was due to appear in April before the Nevada State Athletic Commission about the possibility of receiving a fight license. Sonnen was expected to answer questions about statements he'd made during the CSAC hearing – namely, whether he'd gotten approval for his use of prescribed testosterone prior to his fight with Nate Marquardt at UFC 109, which took place in Nevada.

NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer claimed Sonnen had not been truthful in telling the CSAC that he had received approval from the Nevada commission prior to testing positive for elevated levels of testosterone following his title fight with Anderson Silva at UFC 117

CSAC is run by morons, and his fraud charges had absoluteluy nothing to do with this, looked like a witch hunt and they acted like such. I'm not a Chael Sonnen fan by any margin. but seems like he got a raw deal.

Thoughts?

 

[Troy]

Not sure what the other situation had to do with him fighting. He should have been punished for the positive test but it shouldn't have gone further than that.

I would have liked to see Sonnen and Bisping coach TUF. The war of words would have been incredible.

 

[Deezy]

Funny how CSAC changed their mind on the whole thing a few days later. Chael isn't suspended indefinitely anymore, I think he can re-apply within 5-6 months.

CSAC is run by morons.

 

[Troy]

Hopefully that means the TUF option is still open then.

 

[Deezy]

Would welcome it, this season of TUF has been boring, too much buddy/buddy going on between the coaches. Need some manufactured animosity to make a good show.

If Bisping acted like a pissy whiney asshole after Jorge talked some shit online. Imagine what he'll act like when Sonnen opens up on him.

 

[Troy]

It does need a bit more fire and some actual rivalry. This season is odd to watch because they act like good friends. There needs to be some hate like Rampage and Evans had. These two would go off all the time and it would make for good viewing. The final fight would be good as well as it would be a big test for Bisping.

 

[Deezy]

Bisping tends to fold under elite commpetition. Chael Sonnen is a good wrestler and will keep Bisping on his back. One wojuld hope for a Hendo-like bomb from Sonnen to leave the Brit laying on the canvas, but I don't think Sonnen has that type of KO power.

 

[Troy]

I agree Bisping does well in the division until it comes to the top few fighters who he can never seem to get past. I think that he has improved and if he has that KO power back again then he can challenge.