4 sentenced for scheme to steal pandemic funds

The four fraudsters who created a fictional country in a failed attempt to scam $11.5 million from government programs, including those designed to help people during the pandemic, will be calling federal prison their home for the next several years.

"It was all a bunch of hocus-pocus," U.S. District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller said as he doled out one of the four prison sentences during a hearing. "It was all fantasy."

The elaborate fraud scheme included incorporating the bogus Consulate of Al Moroc. Wisconsin corporate records show a post office box in Chicago as the consulate's principal office. A State Department official testified during the trial that Al Moroc is not a country recognized by the U.S. and that it has no diplomatic status.

The foursome – including one Milwaukee man, two Illinois cohorts and a man who lived in Maryland and Florida – were convicted on fraud charges last year.

Prosecutors say the four pocketed more than $1.2 million in the scheme and used the cash to finance lavish lifestyles, including buying jewelry, living in a Ritz-Carlton hotel, going on a Las Vegas trip and buying pricey cars including Mercedes Benzes, a Porsche and a Maserati.

Last week, Stadtmueller sentenced them to between 80 months and 150 months in prison.

Aziz Hassan Bey, a Milwaukee man also known as Chauncey Hooks, was sentenced to 106 months in prison, followed by three years supervision. Prosecutors say he used the stolen cash to pay for a Las Vegas trip, a Maserati and jewelry.

Divine-Seven El, also known as Mark Stevens or Mark Nesbitt, was sentenced to 150 months in prison, followed three years of supervision. Prosecutors say he used the stolen money to buy a Porsche and paid $33,000 a month to live in a Ritz-Carlton in Miami.

Minister Zakar Ali, also known as Anthony Allen, was sentenced to 140 months, followed by three years of supervised release. The Illinois man collected government cash by claiming to operate a farming business and a barbershop run out of Aziz Bey's Milwaukee home.

Letez Osiris Bey, also known as Devonne Robinson, was sentenced to 80 months, followed by three years of supervised release. He used the proceeds of the scheme to fund "everyday living," including spending thousands of dollars at Neiman Marcus, Saks, and the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago.

Each man was handcuffed immediately after sentencing and walked out of court by U.S. Marshals to begin serving their sentences.

"Sir, your sentence begins today," Stadtmueller told Ali.

Divine-Seven El looked to the gallery and blew a kiss to someone as the Marshals approached him.

The four were convicted in October on fraud charges related to three schemes spanning from 2018 to 2021.