FARGO, ND (trfnews.i234.me) A Leeds, North Dakota man has been sentenced to 8 years in prison in an $11-million fraud scheme.
US District Court Judge Daniel hovlind sentenced hunter Brian Hansen age 22 of Leeds on charges of wire fraud and Meyer money-laundering to serve eight years imprisonment serve a three-year period of supervised release and pay 11 million 103 thousand dollars in restitution a digitally judge additionally judge hoffland ordered that hunter Hanson forfeit property which constituted proceeds of the crime in ordered a 1 million 265,000 money judgment against him Hanson previously pled guilty to these charges on July 30th of 2019 the charges and Hansen’s guilty plea stem from Hansen’s criminal acts committed from January of 2018 to December of 2018 during which time Hanson engaged in a scheme to defraud approximately 60 farmers and elevators in North Dakota in Canada as a result of Hansen’s fraud schemes these approximately 60 farmers and elevators suffered significant financial losses totaling approximately 11 point 1 million dollars hunter Hansen fraudulent fraudulently contact contracted with multiple farmers and grain elevators in an effort to deceitfully obtain grain or other agricultural commodities once Hanson fraudulently obtained these commodities he either failed to pay the farmers and elevators or in some instances he sent farmers and elevators checks for which he did not have sufficient funds to cover Hunter Hanson as part of this fraudulent scheme main maintained multiple bank accounts engaged in check kiting to cover his deposits and withdrawals illegally laundered money between his bank accounts and other businesses and often did not have sufficient funds in his bank accounts when he remitted payments to farmers and elevators for money owed on the commodities purchasing contracts when fraud victims became weary of Hansen’s business practices and non-payment Hansen sent email communications to loth to lull farmers elevators are brokers into a false sense of security to postpone inquiries or to make transactions between farmers elevators are brokers less suspect Hunter Hansen’s criminal action axe cost producers elevators and brokers over eleven million dollars said United States attorney drew Wrigley these losses would be financially debilitating at any time but they are back-breaking at such a challenging time for our critically important AG sector although court-ordered restitution of 11 point 1 million dollars investigators are still working to locate the proceeds that can be provided to the victims of Hansen’s crimes these devastating financial crimes harmed real people and undermined generations of their family’s hard work and damages continue said United States attorney to Wrigley who added hunter Hansen has displayed a heart of stone in committing these acts and will do everything possible to squeeze the proverbial blood from the stone and offset the losses to the degree possible the investigating agencies include the FBI North Dakota BCI North Dakota state and local intelligence center McClain County Sheriff’s Office and State’s Attorney in Montreal County Sheriff’s Office and state’s attorney Assistant US Attorney Jonathan O Konak prosecuted the case I’m Neil Berg reporting for I news TV
Leeds, ND Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Involvement in $11-Million Fraudulent Scheme
