Men Posing as Rap Industry Figures Scam Luxury Hotels Out of Thousands
Written by SOURCE on February 13, 2020
A group of men posing as rap industry bigwigs finessed more than $100,000 from luxury hotels in Georgia, according to the Associated Press.
The men, who were driving a Rolls Royce Phantom rented from A-National Limousine, pulled up to the hotels and told employees they were with Roc Nation and Wu-Tang Clan, the criminal complaint states. The rap industry fakes racked up $45,000 at the Georgian Terrace Hotel in Atlanta, and $39,000 at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta. The limousine company told authorities they lost around $60,000 during that time.
They attempted to record music during their time scamming, however, costing two recording studios over $17,000.
Two men, Walker Washington and Aaron Barnes-Burpo, were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, the AP reports. According to the complaint, the duo used both stolen and fake credit cards to pull off the scam. They were caught, along with several other men, at a Fairfield Inn and Suites in Augusta, Georgia.
Hotel employees at the Fairfield Inn and Suites were able to sniff out the scam after the crew booked 10 rooms for an “artist and his entourage.” The hotel sales director called Roc Nation, which told the hotel that it had no idea who the men were. When Barnes-Burpo attempted to check in under Roc Nation, authorities were there waiting on the crew.
