Tony Robinson, a 41-year-old from Minneapolis and former operations director of Encouraging Leaders, was indicted on charges including five counts of wire fraud and conspiracy, with the U.S. Attorney's office announcing his initial court appearance, according to a recent statement from U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. Encouraging Leaders, once directed by Tezzaree El-Amin Champion who has since pleaded guilty to related charges, is at the heart of the fraudulent scheme that siphoned funds from federal and state programs intended for community betterment.
The operation, as detailed by authorities, was a ruse that involved submitting fraudulent grant applications and phony progress reports to various organizations such as the U.S. Department of Justice and the Minnesota State Arts Board, exploiting the trust and capital of both governmental and private grantors, the indictment handed down by the U.S. Attorney's office painted a picture of an extensive fraud that started approximately in December 2021 and ran until October 2022 with Robinson conspiring to create bogus reports about non-existent events and falsely inflated participation figures. Meanwhile, a freelancer in Africa was enlisted to assist Robinson in this sprawling deceit, which included duping entities as diverse as the U.S. Department of Justice—which supports programs for juvenile justice and substance-abuse prevention— Hennepin County, the City of Minneapolis, and the Minnesota State Arts Board, known for their investments in local art and culture, the fraudulent conduct totaled over $1 million in losses for these victims.
Tezzaree El-Amin Champion, who had pleaded guilty in a separate case, faced the consequences of the fraud on November 18, 2025, when U.S. District Judge Katherine M. Menendez handed down a sentence of 84 months in prison followed by 60 months supervised release, Champion was also ordered to pay $3,479,575 in restitution, Judge Menendez highlighted the nature of Champion’s criminal activities, saying that it was “relentless” and “reflects a scale and a depth that is disturbing," as per the sentencing documentation. While Champion has been sentenced, Robinson's charges are merely allegations at this point, and he remains innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The investigation that uncovered this misconduct brought together efforts from multiple agencies, including the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Minneapolis Police Department it was Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson and Matthew D. Forbes who are credited with prosecuting the case, The depth of the fraudulent operation, alongside the collaborative effort in the investigation, underscores the seriousness with which such misappropriation of funds meant for public benefit is treated.
