Pretty Ricky Rapper Charged With Fraud Before Atlanta Tour

ATLANTA, GA — “Baby Blue,” a member of the popular early 2000s R&B/hip hop group, Pretty Ricky, is now facing federal charges, according to the Department of Justice. Diamond Blue Smith, 36, of Dade County, Florida appeared before a magistrate judge in Georgia after his arrest.

The group is scheduled to bring their tour to Atlanta's State Farm Arena in March 2021.

Smith has been charged with wire fraud, bank fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. He obtained a COVID-19 relief loan through fraudulent practices to purchase a Ferrari for $96,000, according to investigators.

Smith is accused of obtaining a $426,717 loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for his company, Throwbackjersey.com "using falsified documents." After securing that loan, he secured a second PPP loan, this time in the amount of $708,065 for his other company, Blue Star Records LLC, again "using falsified documents."

He purchased a Ferrari for $96,000 and made other luxury purchases using PPP loan proceeds, according to investigators. Authorities seized the Ferrari at the time of his arrest. He is also alleged to have withdrawn $271,805 in loan proceeds. The complaint further alleges that Smith sought PPP loans on behalf of others in order to receive kickbacks.

One person he helped was Josh Bellamy, former wide receiver in the NFL. Federal authorities arrested Bellamy and charged him with bank and wire fraud.

Smith assisted 11 other small-business owners get PPP loans, prosecutors said. They were all arrested, mostly in the south Florida area, but the scheme also included people from Ohio and Pennsylvania.