This man is operating an advance fee scam as defined on the FBI web page for fraud. He contacts artists to tell them about an art event he's hosting in their area, usually at a prestigious venue. It is supposed to be a juried show, but he actually will take any artist who applies. After he's collected as many entry fees as he can, he either cancels the show or changes the venue to a high school gym that he can rent at negligible cost or for free. He of course offers no refunds to artists. He also operates under the names Palmetto Art Shows, South Florida Art Shows and has been known to go by the alias Troy Marsh according to the attached website: http://julietchapman.com/blog/04/02/the-latest-on-mr-gervais/. He runs an online magazine at www.WesternWildlifeMag.com in which he uses other peoples copyrighted images he can obtain off the internet or through set up for one of his shows noted above.
If you have been defrauded by Mr. Gervais please contact the Better Business Bureau www.bbb.org, The Federal Trade Commission www.ftc. Gov, The Attorney General of Pennsylvania www.attorneygeneral. Gov and usacomplaints.com. If he is using any of your images illegally or without permission please contact [email protected] for the magazine and [email protected] for the www.wildlifeartshows.com site.
If all of the above isn't enough, he also claims to represent and collect for charities that have no working relationship with him. I confirmed this with Kuki Gallmann the founder of the Gallmann Memorial Fund which Mr. Gervais claims to represent on his online magazine site.
Hopefully if enough complaints get filed one of the regulatory bodies responsible for fraud will finally charge this man.
As always, be sure to Google anyone you're thinking of doing business with and check the Better Business Bureau and usacomplaints.com for complaints.
I hope this report prevents any other artists from falling victim to this scam.
The Agent
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
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