Just weeks after he was nearly killed in a shooting, Diamond "Baby Blue" Smith is set to plead guilty in the federal COVID-19 relief fraud case against him, court records show.
The member of Pretty Ricky will appear before U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke on June 9 to plead guilty to at least one federal offense, according to court records. Neither Baby Blue's attorney nor federal prosecutors have publicly revealed what sentences they will ask Cooke to hand down.
No plea deal has been announced, but it is typical in federal cases for defendants to plead guilty without a deal, with the agreement that prosecutors will limit their sentence request. Baby Blue was charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, which carries five years in federal prison.
Before the change of plea hearing was set, Baby Blue's attorney submitted a motion to postpone the trial, which was scheduled to start just nine days after Baby Blue was shot during a robbery attempt near a bowling alley in Davie, Florida.
The defense motion, filed just four days after the April 19 shooting, said that at the time Baby Blue was still in critical condition and added that he, "is expected to undergo physical therapy over the coming months to recover from his injuries."
The charges stem from allegations that Baby Blue filed fraudulent PPP loan applications and used the money for luxury items like a 2010 black Ferrari 458 Italia, which he allegedly listed as the company car for one of his businesses. Federal prosecutors have moved to seize the Ferrari and other assets allegedly acquired from fraudulent loans.
Written By: Nate Gartrell
