ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Catherine Perry sentenced Abayomi Martin to 15 months in prison. The 43-year-old Lake St. Louis resident pleaded guilty, in March, to one count of wire fraud relative to a scheme to defraud and obtain money from Dallas Cowboy’s player Brandon Carr. Martin was also ordered to pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $261,194.71
Martin solicited an investment from Brandon Carr for a purported part ownership in a clothing company known as Famous Nobodys. Martin falsely represented to Carr he had an ownership interest in Famous Nobodys, and Carr’s investment would provide Carr a 17.5% ownership interest in the clothing company.
On September 12, 2016, after Martin presented him with what appeared to be a legitimate operating agreement setting out Carr’s purported ownership interest in Famous Nobodys, Carr wired $250,000 to Martin for the purpose of owning as an equity holder and operating Famous Nobodys. However, the true owner of Famous Nobodys never knew of this purported agreement by Martin, never received any of Carr’s investment money and never agreed to turn over any ownership interest in Famous Nobodys to Martin. Instead, Martin used the investment funds provided by Brandon Carr for his own personal use and expenses, including cash withdrawals and personal credit card payments. Martin also used a portion of Brandon Carr’s funds to pay for the expenses and training costs of several professional boxers in Las Vegas, Nevada, all without the knowledge and authority of Carr.
Martin continued the fraud by sending Carr false email communications and text messages purporting to update him on Carr’s purported investment in Famous Nobodys. Brandon Carr had intended to use any profits from his investment in Famous Nobodys to fund his broad based charitable foundation, Carr Cares. Instead, Carr never received any funds back from Martin, who fraudulently used Carr’s entire investment for personal expenses and uses unrelated to any true investment in Famous Nobodys.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Hal Goldsmith is handling the case for the United States Attorney’s Office.