Owner of Skybox on Sheffield Indicted in Scheme to Defraud the Cubs

The owner and operator of Skybox on Sheffield, a rooftop entertainment venue overlooking Wrigley Field, was indicted on federal fraud charges and accused of scheming to avoid paying $600,000 in royalties to the Chicago Cubs and taxes due to city, state and county.

R. Marc Hamid, 46, is the owner of Skybox on Sheffield located beyond the right field wall and bleachers of Wrigley Field. Hamid also owned and operated companies that purchased and re-sold tickets to entertainment and sporting events, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including JustGreatTickets.com and Just Great Seats.

Hamid was charged with four counts of mail fraud in an indictment returned Thursday by a federal grand jury. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of at least $600,000 in alleged fraud proceeds.

Between 2008 and 2011, Hamid submitted false annual royalty statements to the Chicago Cubs that fraudulently under-reported event attendance figures by thousands of paid attendees, and under-reported gross revenues for the rooftop by a total of more than $1.5 million, according to the indictment.

By concealing the actual revenues of Skybox on Sheffield from the Cubs, Hamid caused Skybox on Sheffield to withhold hundreds of thousands of dollars in royalty payments rightfully owed to the Cubs under the terms of the rooftop’s agreement with the Cubs.

Hamid also caused Skybox on Sheffield to submit false sales tax returns to the State of Illinois and false amusement tax returns to Cook County and the City of Chicago that fraudulently under-reported event attendance and gross revenues during 2008-2011. By concealing the actual attendance and revenues of Skybox on Sheffield, Hamid caused Skybox on Sheffield to withhold hundreds of thousands of dollars due and owing to the state and local taxing authorities.

» Skybox on Sheffield on Yelp

According to the indictment, Hamid caused Skybox on Sheffield to falsely report that the rooftop had 200 or fewer attendees at certain events, when Hamid knew that more than 200 persons had attended the events, making it appear that the rooftop had complied with city ordinances limiting the number of attendees at the rooftop to 200 per event. Hamid also allegedly caused sales revenues for Skybox on Sheffield to be diverted to his ticket businesses, including Just Great Tickets and Just Great Seats, in order to conceal some of the rooftop revenues from the Cubs and others. According to the indictment, Hamid used the unlawfully withheld funds to pay Hamid’s personal expenses, and business expenses of Skybox on Sheffield and Hamid’s other businesses.

Each count of mail fraud carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine or an alternate fine of twice the loss or twice the gain, whichever is greater.

READ THE INDICTMENT