Fraudster Gets 6.5 Years for Sony Music Scam
Meceo Ray McEaddy, who impersonated a Sony Music employee to defraud event bookers, was sentenced in Manhattan federal court.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Financial Crime
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A Manhattan judge sentenced Meceo Ray McEaddy to six and a half years in federal prison after he posed as a Sony Music Entertainment marketing director to steal more than $1 million from event bookers. McEaddy was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release and return $1.2 million in fraud earnings.
Why it matters
The case shows how impersonating a major music company can lure victims into wiring money for concert slots that never existed. McEaddy's repeat offenses, including a prior fraud conviction for falsely promising to book major artists, underscore the difficulty of stopping such schemes.
McEaddy pled guilty to fraud and aggravated identity theft after being indicted on federal charges in May 2025, and the court imposed six and a half years in prison plus three years of supervised release. The prosecution had requested seven years, while his lawyer asked for three; the extraction does not state whether an appeal is planned.
The players
Meceo Ray McEaddy
McEaddy is a repeat fraud offender who previously served four years in state prison for defrauding investors with false promises to book major artists.
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment is one of the world's largest recorded music companies, whose name and employee identity McEaddy used to deceive event bookers.
The details
Starting in 2018, McEaddy posed as a high-ranking employee at Sony Music Latin and convinced 20 victims to wire him a total of $1.2 million for nonexistent concert slots, forging one top musician's signature in the process. He had previously served four years in state prison for defrauding investors with false promises to book Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber, and he has five other prior convictions.
Timeline
2017: McEaddy launched a near-identical scheme after his release from jail.
2018: McEaddy began posing as a Sony Music Latin employee.
May 2025: McEaddy was indicted on federal charges.
November 4, 2026: A Manhattan judge sentenced McEaddy to six and a half years in federal prison.
Legal Context
McEaddy's case follows the same playbook he used after his earlier state conviction, when he falsely promised to book Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber. The sentence arrives after he had already served four years in state prison for that earlier fraud, illustrating how repeat offenders in entertainment-related schemes can continue operating after release.
Event bookers and promoters who receive unsolicited offers of concert slots from purported label employees should verify the representative's identity directly with the company before wiring any money. The case underscores that payments for talent bookings made to individuals rather than through verified contracts leave victims with little recourse.
The takeaway
Before sending money for any event booking, confirm the representative's employment with the company through its official channels. Legitimate bookings are typically documented through formal contracts rather than direct wire transfers.
Further reading
For more on similar cases, browse Financial Crime coverage in New York City.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Billboard.
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