No Contest Plea from ‘Dancing Hamster’ in California Fraud Case

January 27, 2016

A man who played a dancing hamster in car commercials and was a backup dancer for Madonna, has pleaded no contest to single counts of insurance fraud and making a false statement.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office says 29-year-old Leroy Barnes was immediately sentenced Friday to 90 days of electronic monitoring, 400 hours of community service and ordered to pay more than $24,000 in restitution.

Barnes is best known for playing one of the hip-hop hamsters in the popular Kia car commercials.

He’s also been a backup dancer for Madonna, Kelly Rowland and Chris Brown

Leroy Barnes
Leroy Barnes

The California Department of Insurance says Barnes reported he wasn’t working when he received disability benefits between September 2010 and September 2011.

Authorities say he was actually working for Kia then.

Related:

Topics California Fraud

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