'Love & Hip-Hop' Star Turns Himself in, Start Lengthy Prison Sentence
Mally Mall has traded in gold chains and designer clothes for an orange jumpsuit. The former Love & Hip Hop star turned himself in to the Federal Correctional Institution in Sheridan, Oregon to begin a 33-month prison sentence for running an illegal prostitution service. Mall pleaded guilty in 2019 for the charge, admitting he was running the service for more than 12 years, TMZ reports. According to the feds, Mall operated similar businesses in Nevada. His release date is currently listed as December 15, 2023.
Mall, real name Jamal Rashid, is a popular hip-hop music producer. The 45-year-old ran the sex services operation with women he referred to as "Priority Girls." NBC News reports that clients were charged an average of $1,000 to $10,000 per date. Despite clients coughing up thousands, prosecutors claim the women were paid just $100, with Mall controlling their nearly every move.
"After a woman became a Priority Girl, she quickly learned that defendant expected her to follow many rules," a memo from Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou notes. "For example, defendant required Priority Girls to text him when they went anywhere, they were not allowed to date anyone, and defendant encouraged them to get Rashid-related tattoos to demonstrate their loyalty to him."
Mall tried and failed to delay beginning his sentence, claiming he discovered a mass on his thigh that could potentially be cancerous. The judge denied his request, saying she would not "entertain any further meritless delay tactics."
His lawyers insist he's a changed man, telling TMZ: "Mally Mall over the last several years had dedicated his life to music and helping people. He has fully recognized the error in his ways and has gone out of his way to try to make amends. He intends to take full advantage of each and every program offered by the Federal Bureau of Prisons."