The ongoing investigation regarding the Great Boston Bridal Scam is unraveling an alleged scheme to defraud exhibitors and would-be brides from hard-earned money at a time when people are suffering. Information that was thought to have been stalled is now appearing and building the case against the perpetrators of the crime.
The scam that came to light and gained national attention in Boston earlier this year is now fanning out to other cities, aided by a growing number of sources picking up on the news. The latest official information released by the United States Attorney General, State of Massachusetts, filed a complaint against KAREN TUCKER, 47, of Pittsburgh, Pa, this week, opening the door to other sources offering additional information and helping officials further.
As the investigation continues, eWedNews readers, including Melinda Massie of Dallas, Fort Worth, TX, are offering what they detected in their markets. Massie told eWN,” I think the one by me is a scam as well. They’ve been advertising for a while, but my understanding is the Gaylord has never heard of it, much less have it booked.” Massie provided her suspicions to eWedNews yesterday before the story broke the following day, confirming her suspicions.
The complaint alleges that the Boston scam was part of Tucker’s larger scheme to defraud in Columbus, Ohio; Las Vegas, Miami, and Dallas-Ft. Worth, among other cities. Another possible area affected by the activities could include Maryland.
After reading our coverage, Marc McIntosh, a show promoter in several states contacted eWN saying, “The link below points to an article from Fox 8 in Pittsburgh. This article mentions that the accused also tried this in Baltimore. I had not put two and two together until I read this, but a couple years ago there was a very similar, but short lived, situation in Baltimore, likely from the same scam artists.
A couple of years ago news of a new bridal show and magazine hit the streets in Baltimore. A website told all the details and they had a fairly decent pdf sales piece. The red flag was that they used MY floor plan (they just lifted it from my website and dropped it into their materials). Plus, they called their magazine Baltimore's Bride in a market where there was already a Baltimore Bride magazine. In hindsight, these two things were probably done to confuse the wedding vendors with the hope that they would turn over some quick cash.
Luckily, this new "show" was brought to my attention the same day it hit the streets. Between our lawyers, the magazine's lawyers, and the convention center (who had never heard of these people), they shut down their website and disconnected their phone within about 48 hours. I never thought to get the authorities involved. I guess that they fine-tuned their scam and took it on the road.”
McIntosh graciously retrieved additional information related to the story saying, “I dug back through my files and found that this took place in mid-December of 2008. The fact patterns are almost identical. They set up a local mailbox (their address was just a PMB) and a local phone number that always went to voicemail. I have attached their exhibitor materials which were not spectacular, but good enough. Luckily, members of the local bridal market contacted us, the convention center and the local magazine shortly after this hit the streets. Through the efforts of all of us, I guess they felt the heat and they went away quickly.”
Marc McIntosh says he does not have proof that this scaled back trifold was part of the scam but we're certain he has seen enough in his career to at least be close to the truth.
“I have no definitive proof that the Baltimore "scammer" was the same person who was arrested, but the Pittsburgh article referred to them doing the same thing in Baltimore and I am aware of no other "scams" recently in the area (no one launches a show in that market without someone bring it to my attention) and have to assume that it was the same individual. This promotion piece was sent out and available on their now dormant website.”
eWedNews continues our own investigation and coverage of this story and welcomes your input.
eWedNews
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2010
Posted on 07/29/2010
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