Leeds, ND, Man Signs Plea Agreement in an $11 Million Dollar Fraud Scheme

BISMARCK – First Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick Chase announced that on June 17, 2019, the United States District Court for the District of North Dakota unsealed an Information charging Hunter Brian Hanson, age 22, of Leeds, ND, with Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, and a Forfeiture allegation. Additionally, the United States District Court unsealed a Plea Agreement signed by Hanson articulating his intent to plead guilty to these charges.

Under the terms of the Plea Agreement, Hanson has agreed to plead guilty to charges of wire fraud and money laundering and will admit to a forfeiture allegation for his assets, which are proceeds of the aforementioned crimes. Additionally, Hanson agreed to pay full restitution in the amount of $11,405,134.72. The United States will recommend a sentence within the applicable sentencing guidelines range, recommend that he serve a three-year period of supervised release, and agree not to charge Hanson with any additional federal economic crimes related to his charged scheme to defraud, which occurred prior to the date Hanson signed the Plea Agreement.

The Information and Plea Agreement state, from January 2018 to December 2018, Hanson, executed a scheme to defraud approximately 60 farmers, elevators, or commodity brokers in North Dakota, Minnesota, and Canada. As a result, these approximately 60 farmers, elevators, or brokers suffered a total financial loss of approximately $11,405,134.72. Specifically, Hanson, with intent to defraud, contracted with multiple farmers and grain elevators to obtain grain or other agricultural commodities, obtained these commodities, and either failed to pay the farmers and elevators for these commodities or sent these farmers and elevators non-sufficient funds checks.

Hanson, as part of this scheme to defraud, maintained multiple bank accounts, engaged in check kiting to cover his deposits and withdrawals, 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 agricultural commodities purchasing contracts. Moreover, Hanson diverted funds from his grain business accounts to other personal and business accounts. Additionally, Hanson purchased agricultural commodities from farmers and elevators above their per bushel market value and then sold these same commodities below their per bushel market value. Finally, after Hanson failed to pay farmers and elevators for the agricultural commodities he obtained, he sent email communications, to lull farmers, elevators, or brokers into a false sense of security, to postpone inquiries, or to make his transactions between the farmers, elevators, or brokers less suspect.

Read more: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nd/pr/leeds-nd-man-signs-plea-agreement-11-million-dollar-fraud-scheme