Man Admits To Defrauding Concert Promoters Out Of $550,000

Maroon 5
AP Photo / Silvia Izquierdo
– Maroon 5
Adam Levine of Maroon 5 acknowledges the crowd during Rock In Rio at Rock City in Rio de Janeiro Sept. 16.
A California man who goes by the nickname “Big Cheeze” has admitted to defrauding concert promoters and investors of more than a half-million dollars.
Federal prosecutors say 39-year-old Jordan Mouton of Patterson, south of Sacramento, pleaded guilty Monday to using wire fraud and identity theft to bilk the promoters and investors of $550,000.
He admitted to falsely claiming to be able to attract artists including Snoop Dogg, Maroon 5 and Rihanna to perform concerts in Asia and elsewhere. He created false documents including the forged signatures of the performers and their managers. He gave one victim counterfeit passports supposedly belonging to members of Maroon 5.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine when Mouton is sentenced in March.