Ill. Man Charged With Fraud

An Illinois man that Randolph County, Ill., authorities accuse of defrauding a catering business during the Sparta 175 festival has surrendered to police.
mug shot as reported by the Belleview News-Democrat

Alex Flores, who promoted events during the June 19-21 festival, allegedly secured catering services from a local company but never paid the bill. The amount in dispute was not released, but Flores posted $1,000 bond and was released, according to the Belleview News Democrat. The event took place at the World Shooting Complex in Sparta, Ill.

Flores is also named in an unrelated suit as CEO of Gorilla Grid Media and is alleged to have defrauded the Belleville Bicentennial Committee out of $86,000 that was owed to musical performers during that city’s 200th birthday celebration.

In that case, the committee reportedly paid Gorilla Grid Media an initial $15,000 contract fee, then another $133,750 owed to the artists. Only $47,750 was ever paid to the bands, according to the paper.