Former NFL player, UVA alum pleads not guilty to embezzling real estate loan proceeds
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A former NFL player and alumnus of the University of Virginia (UVA) has pleaded not guilty to fraudulently obtaining commercial real estate loan proceeds and using them for his own gain. During an initial hearing on Thursday, Oct. 24, 52-year-old Christopher Harrison of Washington -- a former guard for the Detroit Lions who went on to become a real estate developer -- pleaded not guilty to all 12 charges he faces in connection to an embezzlement case. This includes four counts of wire fraud, one count of mail fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft and three counts of engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property. According to court documents, Harrison allegedly entered an agreement to receive over $22 million in loans from Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust (CRBT) for the purpose of funding two real estate projects: a Model Tobacco Project in Richmond and a Whitaker Park Project in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. These loans reportedly come with a legal agreement stating that the funds will be used for the development and construction of the specified projects. CRBT required that Harrison submit documentation proving that money was indeed spent on development and construction in order for Harrison to receive loan proceeds. MORE: Former NFL player, UVA alum accused of embezzling real estate loan proceeds Harrison is then accused of creating a straw demolition company, "Virginia Demolition," for the purpose of falsifying invoices he could submit to CRBT, thus granting him access to real estate loan proceeds in the amounts specified on the invoices. He reportedly did this several times over the course of years. According to court documents, Harrison allegedly forged the signature of a person unaffiliated with this straw company multiple times on such invoices, claiming this person was its owner. CRBT's loan agreement specified that a loan recipient cannot use its real estate loan proceeds on an affiliate company of theirs. By allegedly misrepresenting the company's ownership in this way, court documents claim that Harrison avoided that scrutiny. Court documents detail further allegations, including that Harrison doctored and inflated invoices in order to receive fraudulently-high amounts of loan proceeds from CRBT. “In total, Harrison allegedly submitted over a dozen falsified invoices and lien waivers in draw requests to induce CRBT to disburse over $3.6 million in loan proceeds to Harrison to satisfy purported expenditures,” the U.S. Department of Justice previously said in an Oct. 17 press release. Harrison is accused of spending some of these proceeds on personal expenses, including the purchases of multiple Rolex watches, paying off his home mortgage and funding tutoring for his child. The DOJ previously said that Harrison potentially faces multiple decades in prison -- though the actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than their maximum penalties. Harrison's next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 4.
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A former NFL player and alumnus of the University of Virginia (UVA) has pleaded not guilty to fraudulently obtaining commercial real estate loan proceeds and using them for his own gain.
During an initial hearing on Thursday, Oct. 24, 52-year-old Christopher Harrison of Washington -- a former guard for the Detroit Lions who went on to become a real estate developer -- pleaded not guilty to all 12 charges he faces in connection to an embezzlement case.
This includes four counts of wire fraud, one count of mail fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft and three counts of engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property.
According to court documents, Harrison allegedly entered an agreement to receive over $22 million in loans from Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust (CRBT) for the purpose of funding two real estate projects: a Model Tobacco Project in Richmond and a Whitaker Park Project in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. These loans reportedly come with a legal agreement stating that the funds will be used for the development and construction of the specified projects.
CRBT required that Harrison submit documentation proving that money was indeed spent on development and construction in order for Harrison to receive loan proceeds.
MORE: Former NFL player, UVA alum accused of embezzling real estate loan proceeds
Harrison is then accused of creating a straw demolition company, "Virginia Demolition," for the purpose of falsifying invoices he could submit to CRBT, thus granting him access to real estate loan proceeds in the amounts specified on the invoices. He reportedly did this several times over the course of years.
According to court documents, Harrison allegedly forged the signature of a person unaffiliated with this straw company multiple times on such invoices, claiming this person was its owner. CRBT's loan agreement specified that a loan recipient cannot use its real estate loan proceeds on an affiliate company of theirs. By allegedly misrepresenting the company's ownership in this way, court documents claim that Harrison avoided that scrutiny.
Court documents detail further allegations, including that Harrison doctored and inflated invoices in order to receive fraudulently-high amounts of loan proceeds from CRBT.
“In total, Harrison allegedly submitted over a dozen falsified invoices and lien waivers in draw requests to induce CRBT to disburse over $3.6 million in loan proceeds to Harrison to satisfy purported expenditures,” the U.S. Department of Justice previously said in an Oct. 17 press release.
Harrison is accused of spending some of these proceeds on personal expenses, including the purchases of multiple Rolex watches, paying off his home mortgage and funding tutoring for his child.
The DOJ previously said that Harrison potentially faces multiple decades in prison -- though the actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than their maximum penalties.
Harrison's next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 4.
