{
  "id": 18373166,
  "title": "Sony Employee Impersonator Sentenced to 6.5 Years in Prison for Fake Artist Bookings",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/sony-employee-impersonator-sentenced-to-6-5-years-in-prison-for-fake",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-05T20:33:54.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Billboard",
    "slug": "billboard",
    "url": "https://www.billboard.com/pro/sony-music-impersonator-sentenced-prison-artist-bookings/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Meceo Ray McEaddy, also known as \"Ray Annes,\" has been sentenced to six and a half years in federal prison for defrauding event bookers out of over $1 million. The fraudster impersonated a Sony Music Entertainment marketing director to carry out the scheme, which began shortly after his release from a four-year state prison term for similar fraud. Prosecutors allege that McEaddy forged signatures and claimed connections to prominent artists, including Bad Bunny, Ozuna, Maluma, and J Balvin. He was indicted in May 2025 and pleaded guilty to fraud and aggravated identity theft. A judge cited McEaddy's extensive criminal history and his repeated pattern of fraudulent behavior when determining the sentence, which also includes three years of supervised release and returning the $1.2 million he fraudulently earned.",
  "summary": "Meceo Ray McEaddy previously served four years in prison for falsely promising to book shows by Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}