A man who claimed to be a booker for musicians including Migos, Lil Yachty and Lil Uzi Vert is facing federal fraud charges, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
Octaveon Woods, 26, of Decatur, Illinois, was indicted on money laundering and wire fraud charges Feb. 6.
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Woods allegedly operated companies, including Global Talent Agency and GTA Bookings, which claimed to represent “dozens of famous musicians, comedians and other artists,” the Justice Department said. Woods had no relationship to any of the artists his companies claimed to represent, U.S. Attorney BJay Pak said.
Emory University paid $37,500 to Global Talent Agency in early 2017, under the impression that they were booking Migos for its annual Dooley's Week celebration. Two weeks before the scheduled concert, Emory's Student Planning Council learned they had been victims of fraud, and that Migos would not be performing. The university was able to book rapper Ty Dolla Sign at the last minute, paying at least $85,000.
Emory is not the only school that was allegedly duped by Woods. The University of Missouri “and other victims” paid Woods’ companies to book artists for concerts and festivals, the Justice Department said.
Woods received $66,250 in total for the fake bookings, a federal indictment says. That means Emory’s $37,500 payment accounted for more than half of Woods’ money. The U.S. Department of Education is also investigating the case.
Once Woods’ companies received the money, Woods would launder the funds by transferring them to other accounts and withdrawing them as cash, the Justice Department said.
Woods has pleaded not guilty and posted $10,000 bond on Feb. 13.
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