Randallstown Man Admits Making $4.1M In Purchases On Company Card To Further Rap Career

The Randallstown man accused of charging more than $4.1 million to a company credit card to further his rap career pleaded guilty to a federal wire fraud conspiracy charge, prosecutors said.

Chad Arrington, who typically went by the stage name Chad Focus, reached a plea deal with prosecutors. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison and was ordered to pay $4.1 million in restitution.

Arrington, 32, worked as a search engine optimization specialist from around 2011 to August 2018. He was responsible for promoting and marketing the company's products and services online. He was given a company American Express Card after he signed an agreement pledging to use the card only for business expenses.

Arrington admitted that from at least January 2015 to August 2018, he and four collaborators used the card to promote his rap career and Focus Music Entertainment and to make unauthorized purchases that benefited each personally. The co-conspirators were from Owings Mills; York, Pennsylvania; Alexandria, Virginia; and Sarasota, Florida, prosecutors said. Arrington used the card to make more than $1.5 million in purchases from entities and accounts tied to his co-conspirators, who then funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars to Arrington and his accounts.

Specifically, Arrington admitted to using the card to purchase sound equipment, studio kits, instruments and music technology to produce a number of songs. He then paid services to artificially boost plays, likes, followers and other social media metrics. He bought billboards nationwide, including in Baltimore and in Times Square. He also made more than $275,000 in purchases related to a bike-sharing business.

Arrington covered up the scheme by having two of his collaborators make false entries on the card's billing statements in order to conceal the recipients from his supervisor and employer. He forged his supervisor's signature on his billing statements to pass off certain purchases as approved.

U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett scheduled sentencing for May 14.