WRIGLEYVILLE — The former owner of Skybox on Sheffield received an 18-month prison sentence for defrauding the Chicago Cubs and the government, prosecutors announced Monday.
R. Marc Hamid, 48, of suburban Lincolnwood, was convicted in July on four counts of mail fraud and five counts of illegally structuring financial transactions. His schemes sprang from his management of the Wrigleyville rooftop bar, 3627 N. Sheffield Ave.
"Wherever he thought he could cut corners and put more money in his own pocket, he did it," said Barry Jonas, a federal prosecutor. "If there was a way to benefit himself even to another's detriment, he did it."
Over the course of Hamid's nine-day trial, evidence showed his efforts to conceal $1.4 million in revenues between 2008 to 2011 from the Cubs, Cook County and the city of Chicago.
The manipulations were made possible through false annual royalty statements and underreported attendance figures that were off by thousands of paid attendees, prosecutors said. He also directed employees to shift revenue to two ticket companies he owns, JustGreatTickets.com and Just Great Seats LLC.
Hamid's accountant, Joseph Gurdak, was also convicted of mail fraud and willfully filing a false income tax return, the Department of Justice said.
In the days following his March 2015 indictment, Hamid was "terminated and relieved of all duties and responsibilities" at Skybox on Sheffield, investors said.
As part of his deal with the Cubs, Hamid was required to pay 17 percent of his gross annual revenue to the ball club. He was also required to pay an amusement tax on tickets sold to his venue.
Over the past two years, the Ricketts family that owns the Cubs has bought all but five of the 16 Wrigleyville rooftop properties. Most recently, the family's Hickory Street Capital company purchased Down the Line Rooftop, 3621-25 N. Sheffield Ave.
The Cubs and Wrigley Field are 95 percent owned by an entity controlled by a trust established for the benefit of the family of Joe Ricketts, owner and CEO of DNAinfo.com. Joe Ricketts has no direct involvement in the management of the iconic team.
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