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Fraud Squad Investigating ‘False’ Ronson Gig
West Australia’s Major Fraud Squad is investigating a fake Mark Ronson appearance advertised in Perth, on the same day the DJ superstar was on the other side of the country, to headline the Splendour In The Grass festival in Byron Bay.
Photo: Rebecca Cabage/Invision/AP, file
Posing for a photo at Jeff Bhasker Studio, in Venice, Calif.
Punters paid up to A$1,100 ($815) for tickets and hospitality packages to see a Ronson DJ set at the Matisse Beach Club’s July 24 Winter Funk Fest.
Moments before doors opened, the club issued an apology on Facebook, claiming Ronson’s supposed promoter advised “he is unable to make it to our Winter Funk Fest tonight.”
It cited “unforeseen logistical issues” in flying the performer back to Perth in time and was working on a possible rescheduling. But an annoyed Ronson had already tweeted about the “fake gig” as “complete BS” and called the promoter “shady.”
A Matisse Beach Club representative told Community News, “Matisse is in possession of a signed contract booking agreement for this performance with a third party agent and has engaged the assistance of the Major Fraud Squad of the West Australian Police for this matter and therefore cannot comment while this is under investigation.”
She added that club management was trying to get money back from the third party from losses it suffered from refunds.