Evergreen Reporter

A Minneapolis non-profit executive and business consultant has admitted to orchestrating a fraud scheme that defrauded federal, state, local, and private programs of over $6 million. Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick announced the guilty plea of Tezzaree El-Amin Champion.

Champion, 28, engaged in fraudulent activities from 2020 to 2024 through two entities he founded: Futuristic Management LLC and Encouraging Leaders. Court documents reveal that Encouraging Leaders submitted at least 42 grant applications containing false information to various organizations, including the U.S. Department of Justice and Hennepin County. These applications falsely claimed partnerships with local governments and community organizations and included exaggerated work hours and events that never occurred.

Champion misappropriated funds obtained through these fraudulent applications for personal use. The non-profit sought more than $3.8 million in funding but received approximately $1.5 million as part of the scheme.

Through Futuristic Management, Champion assisted clients in submitting false applications for relief grants from Hennepin County's Small Business Relief program and loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) programs. He also submitted nine fraudulent applications on his behalf.

Additionally, Champion defrauded Hennepin County by billing for services already paid by clients under the Elevate Business program while serving as a business advisor.

During an investigation into Champion's activities, law enforcement discovered financial records at his home along with a Ruger LCR .357 revolver bearing his DNA. Due to a previous conviction for second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon in 2018, Champion is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

Champion pleaded guilty before Judge Katherine M. Menendez to wire fraud, money laundering, and illegal firearm possession charges as a felon. He agreed to pay restitution of at least $3,479,575 to his victims.

Earlier this month, Marcus A. Hamilton pleaded guilty to participating in the Futuristic Management part of the scheme alongside Champion. Sentencing hearings for both defendants will be scheduled later.

The case resulted from investigations conducted by IRS-Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and Minneapolis Police Department’s Special Crimes Investigations Division.

Assistant U.S Attorneys Matthew D Forbes and Joseph H Thompson are prosecuting the case.