Although it looks like the Beastie Boys will headline Pittsburgh's May 2 Ghetto Booty Battle, it ain't so.|
It seems the event's organizers were scammed for approximately $10,000 by a man calling himself "Gene Santiago," according to a spokesman for the Beastie Boys.
Santiago, who claimed to be a representative of the Beastie's record label, Grand Royal, provided the event's promoters with fraudulent contracts that included a "Grand Royal Artsit [sic] Rider" and "Ammendment [sic]" on phony Grand Royal/Capitol letterhead. The letter listed a fake phone number, phony address at "Hollywood and Vine Streets" and a forged signature by Beastie Boy Adam Yauch.
No other details were available at press time. (Ari Bendersky)
