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Nicki Minaj, Drake Concert Scam Foiled
Polk County, Fla., detectives recently arrested a Lakeland couple accused of bilking three investors out of $36,000 for a phony concert featuring Nicki Minaj and Drake.
Authorities said Phillip and Evelyn Bradley are charged with scheming to defraud and grand theft, among other charges, for allegedly faking arrangements for an Oct. 24 concert at Simmons-Young Park in Winter Haven, according to Lakeland’s The Ledger. The husband and wife were arrested and booked into Polk County Jail Nov. 19.
Arrest affidavits said a detective posing as a parks and recreation employee met with the Bradleys to tour the venue and discuss the concert.
A rental agreement was drawn up that included a portable stage, generators and stage skirting, and the show was promoted on Facebook and Phillip Bradley’s website, which has since been taken down.
Photo: Chris McKay / WireImage.com
Fox Theatre, Atlanta, Ga.
The paper said the detective became suspicious when Phillip Bradley allegedly said he anticipated selling 10,000 tickets and inquired about hiring off-duty sheriff’s deputies for the show. The detective called the number for ticket sales and was told the concert was sold out.
However, further investigation revealed otherwise.
Minaj, represented by The Blueprint Group, was scheduled to perform in London Oct. 24 and Drake, represented by William Morris Endeavor was scheduled to be in Las Vegas. Neither artist’s rep had heard of Philip Bradley or his company, Big Apple Music Group.
Photo: Charles Sykes / Invision / AP
Budweiser Made In America, Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, Pa.
In other news, TMZ reported Nov. 23 that neither Drake, Chris Brown nor their entourages will be charged for their alleged involvement in a NYC nightclub brawl this summer, reportedly because of a lack of evidence.
Brown, however, continues to face fallout from his 2009 conviction of assaulting Rihanna.
Promoter Hits & Jams Entertainment announced Nov. 22 that Brown has pulled out of a Dec. 26 concert in Guyana because of protests by women’s rights groups and opposition lawmakers against his appearance.