MIAMI – Two men who managed to swindle over $1 million from a concert promoter by impersonating pop sensations Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish and Post Malone are facing prison time, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release Friday.
Terronce Morris, 41, of Missouri City, Texas, pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiring with Blake Kelly, 36, of Los Angeles, California, who investigators labeled as the “masterminds” behind the music festival scam, could face more than 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to wire-fraud conspiracy and identity theft charges in Miami federal court, authorities said.
Recommended Videos
Kelly pleaded guilty in January.
According to the DOJ, both men persuaded a recording artist to give them money to support the production of a music festival. However, no music festival was ever produced, and the duo used the money to purchase luxury goods and services.
Authorities said Morris and Kelly also forged the signatures of other recording artists on fraudulent contracts as a part of the scheme.
The elaborate scheme began when Morris and Kelly fabricated contracts featuring the forged signatures of Bieber, Eilish, and Post Malone, whose legal name is Austin Richard Post, claiming to have secured their performances for an upcoming music festival in Texas. Both men then convinced a concert promoter to send them money in advance, under the guise of various expenses related to the event, authorities confirmed.
To add credibility to the scheme, investigators said the pair even went as far as arranging a Facetime call between the promoter and a fake Justin Bieber.
“Relying on Morris’s and Kelly’s false and fraudulent statements, the victim sent three wire transfers to Morris,” the news release stated.
Authorities confirmed the victim also mailed Morris a $200,000 check made payable to Bieber that Morris would eventually deposit into his own personal account.
The three famous recording artists didn’t make or lose any money off the bogus music festival. However, their identities and signatures were exploited on contracts fabricated by Morris and Kelly as they duped the promoter to send them $1,350,000 in a cashier’s check and three wire transfers in late 2019 and early 2020, according to the Miami Herald.
The newspaper reported that the pair was charged in Miami because much of the communication transpired while the victim was visiting South Florida.
Once the funds were transferred, Morris and Kelly quickly began spending the money on personal expenses such as purchasing luxury goods, paying for luxurious services and dining at high-priced restaurants. However, their spending spree was short-lived as federal authorities soon caught wind of the scam and launched an investigation, detectives said.
Upon discovering the forged contracts and fake signatures, authorities said it became clear that the pop stars had never agreed to perform at the festival and were unaware of the scheme.
In a bid to avoid lengthy trials and potential maximum sentences, detectives said both men decided to plead guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and identity theft charges.
Court records show Morris’s sentencing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on May 2 and Kelly’s sentencing is scheduled for 1 p.m. on March 28.