Associate of Chicago rapper G Herbo pleads guilty in wire-fraud case
A Chicago rapper has pleaded guilty for his role in the wire fraud conspiracy case involving fellow local rapper G Herbo.
Terrence Bender, 32, entered a plea Thursday to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a Massachusetts federal court, the Department of Justice announced in a news release Monday.
Bender, whose stage names are “Blends” and “Dopeblends,” and five co-defendants, including G Herbo, were indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2020 and accused of fraudulently obtaining credit card account information to defraud businesses and individuals nationwide.
The alleged fraud occurred from at least March 2017 until November 2018, using the account information that was obtained to pay for private jet charters, designer pets, luxury hotels and more, according to court documents.
The cardholders disputed the transactions on their accounts with their banks, and the businesses and individuals who approved the transactions suffered the loss.
Bender surrendered to authorities in December 2020. Prosecutors say he is responsible for $103,000 in damages to victims.
In January, G Herbo — whose real name is Herbert Wright III — was sentenced to three years’ probation. Two other co-defendants, Demario Sorrells and Joseph Williams, were sentenced to probation in August.
Last month, co-defendant and Chicago-area music promoter Antonio Strong was sentenced to three years in prison. The final co-defendant, Steven Hayes Jr., is facing trial.
Bender is scheduled for sentencing Feb. 27.