Tezzaree El Amin Champion, age 28, was sentenced to seven years in prison for fraud yesterday at the federal courthouse in downtown Minneapolis. Prosecutors had asked for a 12-year sentence.
MPR News reports,
COVID loan fraudster gets 7 years, ordered to repay $3.5M
The scheme involved a whole host of frauds,
According to prosecution filings in the case, Champion defrauded at least a dozen entities including state and federal agencies, as well as nonprofits including the Otto Bremer Trust, Youthprise and the Greater Twin Cities United Way.
We had listed this case as No. 22 in our ScandalTracker, with a $1 million price tag, reflecting just one of the frauds. MPR reports that the total fraud price tag may exceed $6 million.
Champion was indicted back in May 2024, along with a confederate, Marcus Hamilton. Champion’s co-defendant is scheduled to be sentenced Monday, December 1.
MPR reminds listeners that,
Champion, 28, pleaded guilty in February to wire fraud, money laundering and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Champion is ineligible to own guns following his 2018 conviction in Hennepin County for shooting a man amid a dispute over a vehicle sale.
In addition,
Champion is the great-nephew of Minnesota Senate President Bobby Joe Champion, DFL-Minneapolis, and the son of Minneapolis North basketball star Khalid El-Amin, who played for the University of Connecticut and the Chicago Bulls. Neither man is accused of wrongdoing in connection with the case.
Sounds like the younger Champion had all the advantages in the world.
