Fake Imagine Dragons agent scams venue for $…read More.
A venue in Washington state has fallen victim to a $250,000 fraud by an individual pretending to represent the popular rock band Imagine Dragons. The Town Toyota Center (TTC), a 4,300-capacity arena located in Wenatchee, Washington, believed it was booking the band for a 2025 performance, only to later discover that the agent they had been in contact with was an imposter.
The scam began when TTC’s long-time booking partner, Harmony Artists, introduced the venue to an agent claiming to be James Whitting, a representative from Wasserman Music, who officially manages Imagine Dragons’ live performances. Confident in the legitimacy of the booking, TTC proceeded to wire an advance payment of $250,000 on August 23, 2024, in order to secure the band for a concert scheduled for June 21, 2025.
However, about three weeks after the transaction, TTC discovered that the person they had dealt with was not Whitting, but rather an impersonator. Upon realizing this, the venue immediately contacted its booking agent, bank, and insurance provider. Harmony Artists, which facilitated the connection, is now working with its insurance company to ensure that TTC is fully reimbursed for the financial loss.
TTC General Manager Mark Miller addressed the incident in a public statement, acknowledging the severity of the situation. “We are fully aware of the gravity of the recent events that were determined to be concert fraud,” he said. He assured the public that the venue is not only focusing on recovering the funds but also reviewing and enhancing its internal security measures to prevent future incidents.
Harmony Artists, in cooperation with TTC, is leading efforts to recover the stolen money, and Miller indicated that they expect to be reimbursed in full. Nonetheless, both the venue and the agency have been cautious in providing further details due to the ongoing investigation and potential legal actions. The venue emphasized that no additional public statements would be made as long as the investigation continues.
Compounding the confusion, Imagine Dragons had already announced a concert at Stadium Diego Armando Maradona in Naples, Italy, on the same date the band was supposedly booked for Wenatchee. This raised further red flags and revealed the fraudulent nature of the deal.
Imagine Dragons’ real representatives, James Whitting and Corrie Martin, are both part of Wasserman Music, but the agency has not yet made any public comments regarding the scam.
This incident is part of a broader trend of concert-related frauds targeting promoters and venues. Last month, similar scams were reported in which fraudsters pretended to be agents from Creative Artists Agency (CAA), claiming to book tours for celebrities like Justin Timberlake and Justin Bieber. The fraudsters used random email addresses to deceive potential clients. In response to the rising frequency of these incidents, the UK’s Entertainment Agents’ Association issued a list of precautionary measures for promoters. These include verifying the agent’s identity, confirming touring schedules, and speaking directly with the agency before transferring any deposits.
The Town Toyota Center is now reviewing its procedures to safeguard against such scams in the future and will continue to work towards recovering the funds lost in this incident.
