Minneapolis businessman sentenced to 3 years probation for role in fraud scheme
A Minneapolis-based businessman will not serve any more jail time for his role in a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud pandemic relief programs, according to court documents.
Marcus Hamilton was sentenced to three years of supervised release for one count each of wire fraud and engaging in monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity. He was also ordered to pay more than $128,000 in restitution.
Hamilton's codefendant, Tezzaree El-Amin Champion, was sentenced last month to seven years in prison and ordered to pay nearly $3.5 million in restitution.
Prosecutors say Champion used his position as a leader of Futuristic Management LLC, a marketing company, and Encouraging Leaders, a nonprofit, to submit grants.
Champion and Hamilton recruited clients for Futuristic Management and submitted fraudulent applications to Hennepin County's Small Business Relief grant program. In total, court documents say Champion and Hamilton's fraud resulted in losses of more than $1 million.
During a search of Champion's home, investigators found Futuristic Management financial records, a safe containing $127,000 and a revolver with his DNA on it.