MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Two Minneapolis business consultants are facing charges for allegedly defrauding COVID-19 aid programs out of more than $1 million.

Tezzaree El-Amin Champion and Marcus Alexander Hamilton, both 27, are accused of submitting fake invoices and applications for relief funds through their firm, Futuristic Management Group LLC. They allegedly scammed multiple federal, state, local, and private pandemic relief programs.

The pair reportedly used their contracts with Hennepin County’s “Elevate Business” program to bill for work that wasn’t done or was already paid for by clients. They also submitted false applications for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) on behalf of their clients, pocketing some of the funds themselves.

Authorities also accuse Champion of intimidating clients, sometimes displaying a firearm in the process.

During a search of Champion’s home in April 2023, authorities found $126,000 in cash and a firearm. Because Champion has a prior felony conviction, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

Champion and Hamilton face multiple counts of mail fraud, wire fraud, and theft of government money. Champion is also charged with possessing a firearm as a felon.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Residents living in a condominium building in Minneapolis say they’re living in fear. Over the past month, a homeless encampment has been steadily growing on the 2900 block of Blaisdell avenue. 

“This is causing us a lot of problems. At night when you sleep, these people are doing drugs, and you don’t know what’s going to happen, if they’re going to break your window,” said a resident named Hani. 

She lives in an apartment unit close to the encampment and says she hears people banging on her window and walls at night. To protect the integrity of the window, her family stacked up household items to act as a barrier from the inside. She says someone in her family feels they need to be there at all times to make sure nothing happens to their home. 

“We’ve called 311, 911, no one is helping at all,” she said. 

On Tuesday, there was a shooting at the encampment that left one man injured. Over the past month, Minneapolis Police say five people have been shot in the area including a deadly shooting on May 16.

“We’re lucky not yet a shot has come through that wall, because there are families literally on the other side of that wall,” Park Square Condominium President Raymond Hoffman said. 

The management team at the condominiums are at their wits end. 

“How much more do we have to put up with?” Hoffman said.

He says they’ve been asking the city, council members and mayor for help to clear the encampment for weeks. They thought they had a date set last week, but it fell through. 

“I did get a security company with ten officers, all that good stuff, but after that coordination the city fell through on their end. We were here that Thursday,” Westport Properties Portfolio Manager Abas Mohamed said.

They say the sleepless nights are taking a mental and financial toll on the residents and condo owners. 

“A lot of the families are more or less middle or low income families, and they just want a safe space, and now they have to deal with all these issues and now a lot of the owners who rent their units are feeling like they’re losing money because a lot of the renters want to move out,” Mohamed said.

Last week, the City of Minneapolis told WCCO the closure of the encampment was ‘imminent.’ On Tuesday, a city spokesperson said it’s working with the property owners for an ‘imminent closure’, adding, “Encampment closure operations are fluid and dependent on resources, capacity, and external factors. Closure dates can shift as a result.”

“I don’t want words from them. I want action,” Hoffman said. 

The Timberwolves are taking over downtown Minneapolis again.

This time, the team has rented out a parking lot kitty-corner to Target Center for a series of parties ahead of the Wolves’ two home games against the Dallas Mavericks. Wednesday’s Game 1 marks the first time in two decades the Timberwolves have made it to the Western Conference finals.

In 2004, the Lakers won the series but lost the championship to the Detroit Pistons.

The Wolves put up a mural on the building next to Gluek’s to provide a backdrop for a watch party set for Friday. The facade features Anthony Edwards, who recently and inadvertently gave the Minnesota travel industry a new catchphrase, flanked by Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns and five other players.

Dave Holcombe, one of the restaurant’s operators, recalls that the Lynx did something similar for Maya Moore when Minneapolis hosted the WNBA all-star game in 2018.

“It was up for like two days, but I assume they’re going to leave this up until we’re over,” Holcombe said.

Staff writer Jeff Day contributed to this story.