2 men charged in over $1 million pandemic aid fraud scheme

Two men have been charged for defrauding COVID-19 pandemic aid programs of over $1 million while serving as business advisors to Hennepin County.

According to court documents, Tezzaree El-Amin Champion, 27, and Marcus Alexander Hamilton, 27, carried out a scheme to get funds from multiple federal, state, local and private COVID-19 relief programs starting in 2020.

Through their Minnesota-based small business consulting firm, Futuristic Management Group LLC, Champion and Hamilton entered into contracts with Hennepin County under a relief program called “Elevate Business.” Hennepin County agreed to pay Futuristic Management for technical assistance services to businesses at no cost to the clients.

Instead, the two men billed Hennepin County for work that wasn’t completed and work that they were being paid by their clients for, which violated the terms of the contract.

Champion and Hamilton also submitted fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications and Hennepin County Small Business Relief grant applications on behalf of their clients and their own entities. When clients received the loans and grants, Champion and Hamilton transferred a portion of the money to themselves.

In addition, court records state that Champion intimidated clients by showing them a gun, and on April 26, 2023, authorities searched Champion’s home in Andover and found $126,000 in a safe and Ruger LCR .357 revolver.

In total, Champion and Hamilton’s fraud resulted in losses of more than $1 million in aid and more than 100 fraudulent invoices and grant and loan applications.

Champion and Hamilton were charged with one count of theft of government money, one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity and three counts each of mail fraud and wire fraud.

Champion was also charged with one count of possessing a firearm as a felon.

Both men made their first appearances in U.S. District Court on Tuesday.