Apollo Nida pleads guilty to bank fraud and identity theft
Although he chose to remain mum on his impending identity theft charges on the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” reunion, Apollo Nida spoke out in court Tuesday and admitted his guilt. Phaedra Parks’ husband pled guilty today March, 6, 2014 to charges of mail, wire and bank fraud in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Nida accepted charges that could land him a maximum of 30 years in jail and a fine of up to $1 million for the estimated $2.3 million he allegedly defrauded various individuals, financial institutions and government agencies. As previously reported his admitted co-conspirator Gayla St. Julien also pled guilty to her part in the scheme and was sentenced to five years in jail.
While in court Nida said that he accepts “full responsibility” for his actions. “It was a dumb situation I put myself in,” said the house-husband.
He also noted that his wife Phaedra Parks’ $600,000 reality TV contract caused him to “try to keep up” with their lifestyle and led him to lie to her about running a legit debt recovery firm. He is adamant that she was kept in the dark about his actions.
The presiding judge in the case, Judge Charles Pannell, has set the sentencing hearing for the reality star for July 8 at 2 p.m.
The AJC has since noted that filming for season 7 of the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” will begin soon and Nida’s storyline will likely be filmed for television.
-danielle canada
