Fake Concert Promoter Sentenced to 57 months in Prison for Nearly $3 million Fraud Scheme Involving Identity Theft and Bogus Music Concerts

MIAMI – On July 17, Terronce Morris, 42, the leader of a two-man fraud scheme, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison on conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft charges.  

Morris, of Missouri City, Tex., pled guilty on Feb. 13 to conspiring with Blake Kelly, 37, of Los Angeles, Calif., in a fraud scheme involving bogus music concerts with famous artists, including J.B., B.E., and P.M. Kelly had previously pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy, on Jan. 9. Morris and Kelly also pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft for forging the signature and using the identity of music artist J.B. on false and fraudulent concert contracts.

According to the factual proffer and other court documents, between December 2019 and March 2020, Morris and Kelly fraudulently obtained approximately $1,350,000 from victim J.R. Morris and Kelly persuaded the victim to give them the money for the purportedly production of a music festival, featuring J.B., P.M., B.E., and other music recording artists. Morris and Kelly created several false and fraudulent concert performance contracts forging the signatures of the music recording artists. Morris also created false and fraudulent email accounts that he used to pose as if the music recording artists themselves had sent the signed contracts to Kelly and himself. Additionally, during a video call with the victim, Morris and Kelly had an accomplice pose as J.B. to trick the victim into believing that J.B. had agreed to perform at the concert series.

Morris continued his fraud scheme after receiving several cease and desist letters from the recording artists' attorneys. Just a few months after stealing victim J.R.’s $1,350,000, in October 2020, Morris used more fake and forged J.B. contracts that he created to trick another victim, A.M., out of $500,000. On Nov. 19, 2020, Morris sent victim A.M. a false, fake, and fraudulent B.E. contract from his email account. Relying on these bogus contracts, victim A.M. sent Morris a $250,000 check for the anticipated performance, and Morris quickly deposited those funds and as in the case of victim J.R., Morris used those funds on himself and not for a concert featuring musical artists.  

After stealing victim A.M.'s money, in May 2021, to as late as December 2023 (post-arrest), Morris stole an additional $850,000 from two more victims, W.P. and S.H. On July 27, 2021, Morris sent victim W.P. an email with another forged and bogus J.B. contract, this time claiming that Morris secured the musical artist's signature in person.  Morris wrote in the email, "I told you I was going to get it done!!!!" And just like victim J.R., victim W.P., drawing upon his and victim S.H.'s money, sent Morris a check made payable to "J.B.," in the amount of $250,000. Morris, without any authority, signed the back of the check, deposited it in his own checking account, and spent it on himself.  

Morris, free on bond, met with victim W.P. in December 2023 (post-arrest) and promised him that the J.B. concert would go on someday in the near future. In yet another separate, yet related instance, in November 2021, Morris met with victim M.P and received a $350,000 cashier’s check in the name of J.B on behalf of victims N.V. and J. F.  Morris again claimed that he represented artist J.B. and that the $350,000 was to procure his performance on a live streaming event during the Covid-19 pandemic. Morris then committed the aggravated identity theft of a second J.B., in that in December 2021, he opened a bank account in Texas, using the personal identifying information of a victim named J.B., who shares the same name as the musical artist, J.B. 

The total fraud loss from Morris’ musical artist fraud scheme is close to $3,000,000. Morris and Kelly used the fraudulently obtained money to enrich themselves and finance a lavish lifestyle for themselves and their accomplices, which included traveling, purchasing luxury goods, paying for luxurious services, and dining at high-priced restaurants.

On March 13, Kelly was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roger Cruz and Joan Silverstein prosecuted it.

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/ or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-cr-60118.

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