A felon from Macomb Township has pleaded to criminal charges for soliciting men online and blackmailing them into paying her thousands of dollars in Oakland County.
At a hearing May 26 in Oakland County Circuit Court, Marina Bazzi pleaded no contest to felony charges of extortion and using a computer to commit a crime, and a misdemeanor charge of malicious use of telecommunications service, in connection with a case out of Berkley. Two of the alleged victims are Berkley residents.
A no contest plea is not an admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing purposes. Also, it can offer some liability protection in civil cases.
Marina Bazzi (Oakland County Jail)
According to Berkley police, an investigation from April to October last year led to charges against Bazzi for allegedly using numerous adult websites to solicit illegal services and extort victims, demanding money through online payment platforms.
Sentencing by Judge Jacob Cunningham is scheduled for July 14. The felony charges could each land her in prison for up to 20 years.
Court records show Bazzi’s criminal history in Oakland County includes a conviction for felony malicious destruction of property in Waterford, which she pleaded no contest to and was sentenced in 2023 to a day in jail and two years probation — then subsequently violated probation. She also has convictions for unarmed robbery, assaulting/resisting/obstructing police, unlawful use of self defense spray and minor in possession of alcohol from nearly a decade ago. She pleaded guilty to those charges in 2017.
More recently, Bazzi pleaded no contest in Troy’s 52-4 District Court to charges of stalking and malicious use of a telecommunications service, and pleaded guilty in Waterford’s 51st District Court to malicious use of telecommunications service. Those crimes are misdemeanors and she was sentenced to 180 days in jail and fined.
Bazzi also has other criminal cases pending in Macomb and Wayne counties.
Pontiac man pleads to child porn charges
Case advances against Massachusetts woman accused of spitting on Troy cop, other crimes