Pretty Ricky’s Baby Blue has finally regained his freedom, after being freed from house arrest since serving a year behind bars for $24M PPP fraud.
The 38-year-old rapper was happy to announce that house arrest is officially over. On Monday (March 20), Baby Blue took to Instagram to share the exciting news, posting a video of him getting his house arrest ankle bracelet removed.
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“Just cut em off,” he wrote in the post’s caption. “If they was in your circle and ain’t hold you down when you was going thru it… If they aint hold you down when you needed to be picked up… Cut em off like I just cut off this ankle monitor! #BiggMoneyBlue back in Motion!”
Baby Blue was originally sentenced to 20 months in prison in February 2020 after pleading guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. In October 2020, he was accused of filing false loan applications in order to obtain funds intended for small businesses provided through the U.S. Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
The rapper received more than $24 million as a result of the scam, and bid his fans and family farewell during a party at Prime 112 in Miami.
Last month — nearly one year after his imprisonment — Blue was released from Orlando’s Coleman Prison, and told The Shade Room that he was released from prison with the help of the First Step Act, which was introduced by then-president Donald Trump in 2018. The act allows eligible inmates “to participate in recidivism reduction programs and earn credits towards early release.”
Baby Blue also announced that he would be changing his name and releasing a book. Following his release, Blue was seen reuniting with Spectacular and Pleasure P outside the prison and said in a statement to TSR that he’s a changed man because of the experience.
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“I met a lot of REAL n-ggas in the feds,” he said. “A lot of good street n-ggas doing time in this fucked up system just for hustling and getting money to support they families. Anybody out there that got a loved one behind them walls, make sure y’all show love. Y’all all they got and that commissary expensive than a bitch!”
He continued, “I appreciate all the love and support from my family, friends and fans! New album dropping soon! Wrote a book too! Might call that bitch ‘How To Hustle’ or ‘Blue Magic.’ Officially changing my name to BIGG MONEY BLUE! Shoutout to my n-ggas at Coleman Prison! I’m bout to get back to the MONEY! LET’S GO!”
