UFC middleweight Chael Sonnen — the only man to seriously threaten champ Anderson Silva in the latter’s four year run — has been sentenced on federal money laundering charges. Those charges have been hanging like a cloud over Sonnen’s head since he entered a guilty plea in January and the UFC “suspended” his contract.
Sonnen had earlier been suspended by the California State Athletic Commission for failing a drug test after his stellar UFC 117 performance against Silva.
Mike Chiappetta reports:
U.S. attorney’s office spokesperson Gerri Badden told MMA Fighting that Sonnen was sentenced on Friday to 24 months probation, a $10,000 fine, and forfeiture of his real estate license as the result of his Jan. 3 guilty plea.
In his plea, Sonnen admitted that he was part of a financial transaction that was conducted or designed to disguise the ownership of funds due to wire fraud. The charge had carried a possible fine of up to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
Sonnen was sentenced in the case by Judge Michael W. Mosman in the district of Oregon’s Portland courts.
Sonnen and the UFC can now get together and figure out his future with the organization although this will likely do nothing to improve his chances of getting a second’s license in Nevada — the key step to coaching on The Ultimate Fighter.
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