Altoona Promoter Accused Of Theft

A Pennsylvania concert promoter was arraigned Aug. 18 on charges he misused funds he was paid by Penn State Altoona officials for a fundraising concert two years ago.

The complaint filed Aug. 11 accuses Scott Stuttard of in2it Marketing with theft by deception, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds received and deceptive or fraudulent business practices.

The charges stem from a Doobie Brothers concert at the Jaffa Shrine Center in October 2009 that raised funds for students needing emergency scholarship assistance.

Stuttard is accused of using payments of $35,000 and $32,500 collected from private investors, who reportedly thought they would be used for concerts in other states, to cover costs for the Doobie Brothers show, according to the Altoona Mirror.

Penn State Altoona officials claim they already paid Stuttard $72,350 toward those costs including a fee to Paradigm which represents the band. Officials claim they had to pay an additional $32,500 to Paradigm to ensure the concert took place because Stuttard allegedly hadn’t done so. The situation is unresolved, the Mirror said.

Stuttard was scheduled for a preliminary hearing Aug. 25 but his attorney, Lucas Kelleher, told Pollstar Aug. 31 the hearing has been postponed to Sept. 27 “in hopes of a resolution.”