Have you ever worked hard for your dream? Or believed that despite all the evils in the world that were still good people out there and you try to see the best in people and give them the benefit of the doubt. Well a wise person once said when people show you who they are, believe it.
I am a male Pop Singer/Songwriter and I was until recently represented by Matthew Stanley of Stanley Talent Management which also list his Stepdad James Hatland of Hatland/Stanley Group as it's COO. When I first began talks with him back in October he assured me that he had all types of contacts along with a network of PR associates accounts and etc... To really help any artist career little by little I noticed that this was not the truth and not only that but also that Mr. Stanley lacked the skills that a personal manager would need to launch a artist career but since our relationship was new I said I told myself I should give it some time and see how things go.
SCAM#1 came in December when he was suppose to cover the cost of SAG (Screen Actors Guild) fees in exchange for me recouping the funds with my bookings he assured me that an investor was going to put the money and I would have nothing to worry about needless to say that never happen he stated the "investor" decided to go another way the day he was suppose to send me the money. After that incident he and I didn't speak for a while but he where working a project previous to that which needed to be finished so we began talking again and he apologized and wanted to see if we could possibly start working together again so I gave it a shot in the meantime he was also working with this female artist named Kimmie which he whom he said he and her grandfather/manager had a falling out (More to that story later). I ended up finishing some songs from my new album and was heading to NY for a Billboard Magazine Conference and Matthew Stanley wanted to come and told me he would have some shows/events for me while I was there to help promote my new single... Here come
SCAM#2 there were no shows no events etc... Once again he stats the people backed out and etc... Another lame excuse but me once again looking to see the good in people believed him against some of my friends and associates advice. So I get back to Los Angeles and he tells myself and producer that I was working with that he had an investor from Arizona named "Frank" lined up to help for some of my living expenses and to pay for the producers fees for recording...
SCAM#3- Once again the investor backed out etc... And he and my producer had a falling out and I even tried to defend him and he mislead. So here comes the biggest scam of them all
SCAM#4& So Matthew Stanley tells me that he has shows booked for me in Las Vegas 3 dates to be exact July 29th July 30th and also August 9th so I began rehearsals with my backup dancers about 3 weeks ago and he tells them they will be paid for rehearsals and for shows I also have a designer designing the clothing a videographer documenting everything and a host of people working on the production this was going to a big pop show, something you would see a Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears do and everyone including myself was very excited a press release went out and everything. Matthew Stanley stated that I would be paid $750.00 per show and that he had locked in 2 sponsors for each show and $500.00 each with the possibility for get more. So last week when it was time to pay the dancers he said that he would FEDEX the money to the choreographer so when the FEDEX package never came he said he called FEDEX and there was a delay for some reason... Now the whole time myself and the choreographer asked for the tracking number and he would provide the tracking number then he stated that the FEDEX package would get there that Monday so it didn't come Monday and he stated I will be there tomorrow to personally hand everyone the checks... That night he sent me a e-mail stating the sponsors backed out and the checks weren't any good and he wouldn't be able to pay the dancers for the rehearsal or for the rehearsal studio time that we used. I tried calling him e-mailing him text messaging him with no answer... He eventually contacted me and kept upholding the lie to me and the choreographer we contacted FEDEX and there was never a package and also we contacted the venues the shows never where there and the sponsors and everything was a big LIE!!!
So now myself the dancers are out of thousands of dollars thanks to this man... Now back to the artist Kimmie whom I mentioned earlier so I found her contact info and contacted her and it turns out he did the same this to them... It sucks that we live in a world where people have no remorse and they feel they can get away with doing something wrong. So now we are just left to pick up the pieces and rely on God and out talent. Some of my dancers have families to support and quit there regular jobs because we were all told we were going to working and had shows and dates confirmed and the funds were there. This is a really situation and needs to addressed.
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