Report: Sonnen Suspended by UFC Following Guilty Plea
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
by Sherdog.com Staff
29186
Chael Sonnen has reportedly been suspended by the Ultimate Fighting Championship after pleading guilty to money laundering in federal court.
The former middleweight title contender’s contract has been “frozen,” according to a report from TMZ.com, who spoke with UFC President Dana White regarding the situation.
“I spoke with Chael earlier today and he agrees that setting priorities in his life is the best thing for him right now,” White told the celebrity news website.
Reports surfaced earlier in the week that Sonnen would face Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 128 on March 19. It’s unclear as of publication time whether the bout will go forward as reported.
On Monday, Sonnen pleaded guilty to one charge of money laundering in connection with a home he brokered as a real estate agent in 2006. According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice, Sonnen arranged for a title company to disburse $69,000 to a plumbing company for repairs to a Portland home which were never to be made. Sonnen then allegedly directed the plumbing company to pay $65,000 of that loan to the homebuyer as a cash incentive for purchasing the home.
According to a report from The Oregonian, the government will recommend that Sonnen receive two years of probation when he is sentenced on March 28. Sonnen has also reportedly agreed to surrender his realtor’s license and pay a fine of $10,000. The maximum penalty for money laundering is 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000.
