Promoter Indicted On Theft Charges

A Texas grand jury Dec. 15 indicted promoter Hiro Jamal Hariram on theft charges stemming from accusations he bilked the city of Brownsville and a private businessman out of booking fees for two concerts that never happened.

A Cameron County grand jury returned two counts against the promoter. One pertains to a July 4 Boyz II Men concert. Hariram allegedly took $9,562 from the city of Brownsville to put that on and the second stems from $46,000 Hariram allegedly took from Richard Hope of Hope Properties to put on a proposed Sept. 5 concert featuring Garth Brooks and Shania Twain, according to the Brownsville Herald.

If convicted, Hariram faces up to two years in prison and a maximum $10,000 fine on the first count and from two to 10 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine on the second count.

The city has also filed a breach of contract lawsuit against Hariram, which is pending, the paper said.

Hariram, who denies the allegations, has been free on $30,000 bail since his July arrest.