North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty To Defrauding University of Hawaii

HONOLULU – Marc Hubbard, age 48, of Charlotte, North Carolina, pled guilty today in federal court to one count of wire fraud, for defrauding the University of Hawaii and one of its supporters of $250,000 in relation to a concert involving the recording artist Stevie Wonder that never took place. According to court documents, the fraudulent scheme ran from in or about March 2012 through on or about October 3, 2012.

Florence T. Nakakuni, United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii, said that, according to information presented in court, Hubbard engaged in a scheme to defraud involving the solicitation of money through various false representations. Hubbard falsely represented that he was in contact with Stevie Wonder’s management, when in fact he had not actually contacted anyone affiliated with Stevie Wonder who was in a position to book Stevie Wonder for the University of Hawaii concert, and that he would provide the funds that he received to Stevie Wonder. In court proceedings, Hubbard admitted he kept money for himself, rather than providing it to Stevie Wonder or his management and that he personally obtained $147,500.

Hubbard will be sentenced on February 16, 2017, by United States District Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi, and will face a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment. Hubbard will also be ordered to pay restitution to the victims of his wire fraud scheme and has admitted that he owes $200,000 to the University of Hawaii and $50,000 to its supporter.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc A. Wallenstein.