Chicago-Area Rap Promoter Sentenced for Role in Nationwide Fraud Conspiracy

BOSTON - A Chicago man was sentenced on Oct. 8, 2026 in federal court in Springfield, Mass. for his role in a nationwide wire fraud conspiracy that victimized businesses and individuals across the United States.

Steven Hayes, Jr. 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to three years of probation. The government recommended a sentence of 4-6 months in prison. Hayes was also ordered to pay $2,728 in both restitution and forfeiture. In May 2026, Hayes pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Hayes was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2020 along with five co-defendants, including rap promoter Antonio Strong, rap artists Herbert Wright and Joseph Williams, their associate Demario Sorrells and celebrity barber Terrence Bender. In February 2026, Hayes proceeded to trial, which resulted in a hung jury.

Beginning in at least March 2017 through November 2018, Hayes, Strong, Williams, Sorrells, Wright and Bender conspired to defraud numerous businesses and individuals throughout the United States by using unauthorized and stolen payment card account information of real individuals - including the actual cardholders' names, addresses, security codes and account expiration dates. Generally, because the payment card information was authentic, the defrauded businesses and individuals successfully processed the fraudulent transactions and provided the goods and services to Hayes and his co-conspirators. The actual cardholders discovered these transactions on their accounts and disputed the charges with their card companies who then charged back the transactions to the businesses and individuals, who consequently suffered losses in the amounts of the unauthorized transactions.

Hayes and his co-conspirators used illicit account information to obtain, among other things, a private jet charter flight, a New York City villa rental, designer puppies from a pet boutique and car insurance. In total, Hayes was responsible for $44,814 in victim losses.

On July 28, 2023, Wright pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of making a false statement to a federal official, and on Jan. 11, 2024, was sentenced to three years' probation and was ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $139,968 and a $5,500 fine. On Feb. 2, 2024, Sorrells pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and, on Aug. 29, 2024, was sentenced to three years' probation and ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $106,481. On March 8, 2024, Williams pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and, on Aug. 13, 2024, was sentenced to three years' probation and ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $155,392. On May 22, 2024, Strong pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud and, on Oct. 29, 2024, was sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $2,159,874. On Nov. 14, 2024, Bender pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and, on Feb. 27, 2025, was sentenced to three years' probation and ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $103,811.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office and Trial Attorney Kyle Crawford of the of the Criminal Division's White Collar and Corporate Enforcement Section prosecuted the case.