Lady Gaga/Adam Lambert Concert Scammers Charged

Sherman Luke Loy and Dean DeSana, both age 45 and of Martinsburg, W.Va., sold tickets earlier this year for a show they claimed was going to take place April 24 at Sam Michaels Park near Harpers Ferry, a historic town in Jefferson County, W.Va.

Loy, the owner of a Martinsburg salon called Hair By Luke, previously told The Martinsburg Journal the show was going to be the main attraction at a launch party for his hair care line, Leias. DeSana was identified as the event’s promoter.

According to a police report, a receipt book obtained by police showed approximately $17,841.74 in tickets were sold – but Loy’s bank account records didn’t match up with this amount. Records showed funds from ticket sales money were used to make a $1,000 deposit for Sam Michaels Park.

Kathy Santa Barbara, a lawyer representing Loy, said that a total of 97 tickets and 25 VIP passes were sold to a total of 38 people. Tickets were priced between $100-$200 with VIP passes available for an extra $125 in exchange for an alleged invite to an after-party including “access to Gaga.”

The warrants for Loy and DeSana state that they “feloniously (and) willfully deprive(d) another of money of the value of $6,445.46 by means of fraudulent pretenses, representations or promises.”

Police received complaints from 11 individuals who had purchased tickets March 16 and 17 with ticket sales totaling $6,445.46. According to the Herald-Mail, fans paid for the tickets at Hair by Luke and were told the tickets would be sent to them through the mail. The tickets never arrived. Two of the individuals who filed complaints paid with checks and were reimbursed.

Martinsburg Police Department Detective J.D. Luciano filed a complaint against Loy and DeSana in magistrate court, according to The Herald-Mail.

“No contract was ever officially finalized (for the stars’ performance) and representatives from Lady Gaga and Adam Lambert sent letters to the defendants advising them to cease all activity using their client’s names or they would pursue legal charges of their own,” the complaint said.

“The alleged contract is not a contract; it appears to be an agreement presented to Mr. DeSanna (sic) from another, alleged, out-of-state promoter. The letters to Mr. DeSanna (sic) state ‘Be advised that upon the receipt of the $10,000, JL Entertainment will make the best effort to secure Adam Lambert.”

DeSana previously told the Journal he had set up a contract with Gaga for $300,000 and Lambert for $100,000.

Loy told the paper he is in the clear because he refunded all ticketholders who paid by check with refunds mailed out April 1. He says he’s not responsible for refunding tickets paid in cash because he never handled any cash and instead pointed a finger at DeSana.

“I never took any of the sales. It wasn’t my money. He was the promoter,” Loy told the Journal. He and his lawyer claim that his former personal assistant and DeSana were in charge of handling the cash for ticket sales.

In a previous interview DeSana put the blame on JL Entertainment, saying, “he was duped because we [he and Loy] were both duped by an agent that said they booked the concert.”

DeSana had previously been convicted of fraud-related charges in Berkeley County and was charged with writing $45,806 in bad checks between 1995 to 1997. In addition, he had also been prosecuted for larceny and drug offenses.
 
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