Apollo Nida Gets 8-Year Prison Sentence, Feels 'Remorse' Over Crimes
Apollo Nida has officially been sentenced to eight years in prison.
Nida, the 35-year-old husband to attorney Phaedra Parks who appears on "Real Housewives of Atlanta," was sentenced Tuesday, avoiding a 30-year maximum prison sentence. While TMZ reports that Nida cooperated with federal investigators, he could not avoid prison altogether after allegedly creating fake businesses, false bank accounts and using stolen checks while defrauding automotive lenders, according to Access Atlanta.
According to the Associated Press, Nida, the fitness guru and reality television personality, has officially admitted being involved in conspiracy to commit mail, wire, and bank fraud worth $2.3 million across 11 states.
However People magazine spoke to his lawyer, Thomas D. Bever, who insists his client is not feeling good about his crimes.
"On behalf of my client Apollo, right now he feels remorse. He thought the judge was fair, and accepts his sentence, although he was hoping it would be less," Bever said. "Apollo is elated that this proceeding is past him and is no longer handing over his head."
The fitness guru received support from his mother and brother during sentencing.
"It meant everything to him that his mother and brother spoke on his behalf," the attorney explained. "He's OK, and will get through this."
Nida seemed to take his sentencing in stride.
"The government did what they had to do," the reality television star told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "Whatever the judge gave."
After news broke that Nida's cooperation with the federal investigation of the case led to a lesser sentence, TMZ referred to him as a snitch. Earlier this year, the television personality was taunted when news broke that he would be taking a plea agreement in the case.
After one Twitter user referred to him as a "government snitch," the TV personality verbally bashed him.
"Ur dumb as (expletive) its standard language in a federal plea agreement Michael Vicks TI's plea It's the same language different charge," Nida tweeted months prior to his sentencing.
He also explained being labeled as an informant.
"If 1 knows about the federal system it's standard language in a plea agreement 1 must b put on notice if that applies to them," he previously tweeted.
Aside from his wife Parks, Nida leaves behind their two sons who are under the age of four, Dylan and Ayden.