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FBI Arrest In Hawaiian Scam
FBI agents arrested a man allegedly posing as a concert and events promoter in Hawaii, where he is believed to have conned several families there into investing $638,000 in concerts, including a “Vans Warped DJ Tour,” and a rodeo that never happened.
Turk Cazimero of Waimanalo, Hawaii, is accused of fraudulently soliciting investors using the name Hawaiian Hurricane Productions, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
He reportedly was indicted by a grand jury the previous week on three counts of federal wire fraud. He could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted, according to the paper. The indictment alleges Cazimero showed prospective investors fliers, websites, ads and YouTube video that made it appear he’d booked a country music concert and rodeo.
Companies cited in the materials were not actual sponsors. Cazimero also reportedly claimed to be promoting a multiple-city “Vans Warped DJ Tour,” when no such tour exists. Cazimero promised “investment returns, event sponsorships, and profit-sharing,” the Star–Advertiser reported.
The indictment also accuses Cazimero of spending the money on personal expenses and to repay “investors” who had previously put up money for the non-existent events – the classic definition of a Ponzi scheme.