Jury finds rooftop owner guilty on charges he cheated Cubs
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CHICAGO (AP) - A jury has found a 47-year-old man guilty of defrauding the Chicago Cubs out of the team's cut of revenues from his rooftop club near Wrigley Field.
Jurors deliberated over two days before finding R. Marc Hamid guilty on Friday. The former co-owner of the Skybox on Sheffield is accused of hiding over $1 million in revenue to avoid paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in royalties to the Cubs and taxes.
Rooftop businesses offer views of games without being inside the stadium.
Prosecutors say Hamid under-reported attendance and revenue through different schemes.
Hamid attorney Chris Gair says the verdict was a "traumatic moment" for his client. In court, Hamid's attorneys contended he fell victim to mistakes by unreliable business partners and employees.
Hamid will be sentenced Dec. 6.