Terronce Morris and Blake Kelly persuaded a concert producer that they could arrange a music festival involving major artists such as Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, and Post Malone. However, the entire operation was a hoax to steal more than $1 million.
Both men have pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme. Morris, from Texas, and Kelly, from California, are facing significant prison time. According to court documents, Morris could receive over 20 years behind bars.
The scam began in late 2019 when Morris and Kelly fabricated contracts with forged signatures from Bieber, Eilish, and Malone. They claimed to have booked the stars for a Texas music festival. Through false statements, they convinced a promoter to send money for expenses.
To enhance the ruse, Kelly even arranged a fake Facetime call between the promoter and an impersonator of Bieber. In total, the promoter was duped into wiring over $1 million and mailing a $200,000 check made out to Bieber, which Morris deposited.
Of course, the festival was never happening, and the artists were unaware of the scheme. Once the funds were received, Morris and Kelly spent the money lavishly on personal luxuries instead of any event production.
Nevertheless, the deception was not overlooked. When detectives looked into the faked documents and signatures, the truth emerged. Faced with hefty allegations, both men chose to plead guilty rather than fight it out in court, where they could have gotten even heavier penalties if convicted.
Their sentences are set for later this month and spring 2024, when they will face charges for the $1 million music festival swindle.
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