The former UFC signee, Ahmad Hassanzada, is facing six felony counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a child. This news came to light as Hassanzada appeared in Sacramento Superior Court on Tuesday, where he waived his arraignment in anticipation of a bail and pre-trial release hearing scheduled for April 30. The charges against Hassanzada include four counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a child victim aged 14 or 15, where the defendant is 10 years older, and two counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14.
According to Judge Benjamin Cassidy, the accusations that led to Hassanzada’s arrest span from Feb. 9, 2024, to Feb. 27, 2024. Hassanzada was represented by public defender’s office attorney Stacie Rose Jackson. Accompanying Hassanzada in court was his co-defendant, Khairullah Kakar, who faces three felony counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14. Kakar, an amateur MMA fighter with a 2-0 record, has been seen cornering Hassanzada in the past.
Judge Cassidy also disclosed that the timeline of the accusations against Kakar that led to his arrest is from Dec. 15, 2023, to Jan. 31, 2024. Both Hassanzada and Kakar have bail set at $400,000 each, as per online records, and they both remain in custody. The details of the case have not been fully revealed at this time.
Online records indicate that both Hassanzada and Kakar were arrested on Saturday. Following Hassanzada’s arrest, the UFC confirmed that they have cut ties with him, leading to his removal from his scheduled debut fight against Evan Elder on Saturday.