Federal prosecutors have charged a Minneapolis man with helping steal more than $1 million in state, federal, and local grant money.
Tony Robinson, 41, faces five counts of wire fraud scheme and conspiracy, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota.
Investigators say that between December 2021 and October 2022, Robinson submitted falsified grant progress reports for a nonprofit called Encouraging Leaders. Prosecutors allege Robinson claimed the group held events that never happened, exaggerated its involvement in events that did occur, and falsely reported that it had assisted students.
Robinson is accused of defrauding multiple agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice, Hennepin County, the city of Minneapolis, the Minnesota departments of Education and Human Services, and the Minnesota State Arts Board.
Tezzaree El-Amin Champion, the founder of Encouraging Leaders, pleaded guilty in February to wire fraud, money laundering, and illegal firearm possession. Last month, a judge sentenced him to seven years in prison and five years of supervised release and ordered him to pay nearly $3.5 million in restitution.
Court records show Encouraging Leaders received more than $2.7 million in grant funding, much of which Champion kept. More than $1 million was stolen during the period when Robinson allegedly participated in the scheme.
Champion also carried out a separate fraud scheme through a marketing company he owned, Futuristic Management, which stole more than $2.1 million. His co-defendant in that case, Marcus Hamilton, has also pleaded guilty.
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