Ye’s Russian concert promoter faces a fraud investigation after canceling October shows that sold over 100,000 tickets.
Ye is facing a fraud investigation in Russia after his St. Petersburg concerts were canceled, and police are now looking into the promoters who sold over 100,000 tickets.
Say Agency, the Moscow-based company that organized the October shows at Gazprom Arena, is under scrutiny from authorities in St. Petersburg’s Petrogradsky district, according to Meduza.
The investigation started after a member of St. Petersburg’s Legislative Assembly got complaints from ticket buyers who were left hanging.
Tickets ranged from $107 to $2,000 rubles, and Say Agency claimed they’d moved over 100,000 units in just the first two days of sales. That’s a lot of money sitting in limbo.
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The whole situation spiraled after Gazprom Arena pulled the plug on August 24, citing concerns about Ye’s controversial statements regarding Adolf Hitler and his use of Nazi symbols.
Lawmakers and activists had been pushing hard for the cancellation, demanding Ye show support for Russia’s military operations in Ukraine before performing.
Ticket holders started demanding refunds plus compensation for travel expenses and emotional distress.
By September 18, Ye’s Russian tour dates disappeared from his official schedule entirely.
Now police are gathering information to determine whether there’s enough evidence to open a full criminal investigation.
The Interior Ministry headquarters in Moscow will make the final call on whether charges get filed.
As reported by the Washington Post, this marks a rare instance of Russia actually canceling a Western artist’s shows, contradicting the country’s usual stance against Western-style cancel culture.
The investigation could result in serious consequences for Say Agency if authorities find evidence of intentional fraud or misrepresentation.
Russia’s Interior Ministry is expected to decide within weeks whether to move forward with criminal charges.
Source: allhiphop.com
