Russian police reportedly investigate organizer of canceled Kanye West concerts in St. Petersburg for possible fraud
Source: Kommersant
Police are looking into possible fraud involving Moscow-based Say Agency, which was organizing concerts in Russia for rapper Kanye West, also known as Ye, Kommersant reported, citing an anonymous source.
Police in St. Petersburg’s Petrogradsky district are conducting the inquiry, the newspaper reported. The information they gather will then be sent to Moscow. Russia’s Interior Ministry headquarters will decide whether there are grounds to open a criminal investigation, the source said.
The inquiry followed a request from a member of St. Petersburg’s Legislative Assembly who had received complaints from ticket buyers. West was scheduled to perform two concerts at Gazprom Arena on October 10 and 11. Tickets cost between 9,000 and 160,000 rubles. The organizers said they had sold more than 100,000 tickets in the first two days of sales.
The concert announcement drew a sharp backlash from lawmakers and activists. They cited the rapper’s remarks about Adolf Hitler and his use of Nazi symbols, and demanded that he support the “special military operation.” Amid the backlash, Gazprom Arena’s management said on August 24 that the concert would not go ahead. Say Agency said the announcement and the start of ticket sales had been approved and that a contract with the musician had already been signed.
On September 4, Gazprom Arena again said its October schedule included no concerts by foreign performers. Ticket buyers then began demanding refunds from Say Agency, along with compensation for travel expenses and emotional distress. On September 18, West’s concerts in Russia were no longer listed on his official tour schedule.
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