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Christopher Harrison, 52, was charged by a grand jury for allegedly misappropriating loans intended for the development of two projects linked to his real estate company.
According to the indictment, Harrison allegedly secured loans from Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust (CRBT) for $14,492,057 for the Model Tobacco Project in Richmond and $7,706,675 for the Whitaker Park Project in North Carolina.
Under the terms of the agreements, the former offensive lineman was prohibited from using loan proceeds to pay himself or any construction, management, development, or contractor fees or from using the loan proceeds for personal expenditures.
Instead, it is alleged that Harrison skimmed some of the cash by first creating a straw demolition company, Virginia Demolition LLC, that had no employees, demolition equipment, or office space.
He then purportedly created forged and falsified documentation showing that the shell company did actual work on the projects, including work that was completed before its creation.
Harrison allegedly forged the signature of a separate individual, who Harrison falsely represented was the “President” of Virginia Demolition multiple times.
In total, Harrison allegedly submitted over a dozen falsified invoices and lien waivers in draw requests to induce the bank to disburse over $3.6 million in loan proceeds to Harrison to satisfy purported expenditures for the Virginia project.
Prosecutors say that Harrison used some of the loan proceeds to live a lavish lifestyle, including multiple purchases of luxury goods, including more than $60,000 in payments to Lenkersdorfer Fine Jewelers to buy Rolex watches.
Other personal expenses included his mortgage, landscaping services, as well as tuition and tutoring for his child.
Harrison was charged with:
- Wire fraud;
- Mail fraud;
- Engaging in monetary transactions with criminally derived property;
- Aggravated identity theft.
He faces up to 20 years in prison.
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