Billionaire, friend taking plea deal in Las Vegas drug case

California billionaire and crime victim rights advocate Henry T. Nicholas III and a friend are taking a plea deal sparing them prison time in a Las Vegas Strip hotel room drug case.

Their attorneys say Nicholas and co-defendant Ashley Fargo will enter a so-called "Alford plea" to felony drug possession and make a $1 million donation to an unspecified Las Vegas-area drug treatment and rehabilitation program.

Their pleas acknowledge there is evidence to secure a conviction, but don’t admit guilt.

Prosecutors are agreeing to drop more serious drug trafficking charges and to dismiss the convictions after one year if Nicholas and Fargo complete 250 hours of community service and drug counseling.

Police say they found heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine in travel cases in their room in August 2018.

Nicholas co-founded Broadcom. Forbes estimates his net worth at more than $4 billion.