Former UFC Contender Chael Sonnen Pleads Guilty to Federal Money Laundering Charges

An Oregon real estate agent has pleaded guilty to money laundering in connection with a mortgage fraud case involving Vancouver-based Lighthouse Financial Group, which also did business under the name Crown Point Financial Services.

Chael Sonnen, 33, of West Linn, Ore., entered the plea Monday in U.S. District Court in Portland. He will be sentenced March 28. The maximum sentence is 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

According to a news release, Sonnen acted as the real estate agent in a transaction involving a home in Portland, and submitted a false letter and sales agreement instructing the title company to disburse $69,000 to a contractor for plumbing repairs. However, in a deal arranged by Lighthouse employees, $65,000 of the money was actually kicked back to the buyer.

Federal prosecutors allege that two Lighthouse employees, Joel Rosabal and Chadwick Amsden, submitted the false loan application to a now-defunct subprime lender.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/1/3/1912383/former-ufc-contender-chael-sonnen-pleads-guilty-to-federal-money

Sonnen... get it together bro.

*Breaking news* Chael Sonnen has been suspended from the UFC. http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/1/4/1914152/ufc-suspends-chael-sonnen-following-guilty-plea-to-mortgage-fraud

this will have to go down as one of the weirder mma news stories of the last 25 years . . . which would be all of the mma news stories.  chael suddenly seems like a real shady guy.

When I heard "Chael Sonnen" and "real estate fraud," I thought he got busted for completely ridiculous trash talk about other agents. Hoped, I should say.

I don't get it, how many sketching situations can Chael put himself in in one year?

Not looking good for chael.

how lucky is the ufc that sonnen DIDN'T win the belt that night? he's in a PED investigation AND he just pleaded guilty to a FEDERAL case...Anderson silva did DANA a HUGE favor with that triangle choke.

Has the UFC ever "suspended" a fighter before for conduct occurring outside of the world of fighting? If not, that would set an interesting new precedent for the UFC in passing judgment on fighter behavior. For example, when Rampage went on his, um, Rampage a couple of year back, I know that Dana White flew out to him and bailed him out of jail, but was there ever a fine or suspension levied against Page for those actions?  I can't think of a UFC suspension of this kind before.

Anyone?

Never, the only things that come to mind is cutting fighters like Matt Lindland, or that guy from TUF (jesse something) who lost his spot in the Finale. Even then, they gave him another shot at the UFC.

Chael Sonnen is really setting alot of negative benchmarks - i guess those videos about him being the most interesting man in the world before the Silva fight really are true!

usually when fighters get disciplined by dana, they arent good enough to warrant keeping around... but this happened not to long ago..when for an "undisclosed" reason, rising prospect (at the time, now just alistar overeem's new knee brace cover) todd duffee was cut by ufc...also, did they suspend rousimar palharres for holding the submission for too long against tomaz drwal?