Scammers are everywhere these days, and no one is safe even high-profile celebrities and professional athletes. Such was the case when South Florida con artist Justin Jackson was arrested back in May for posing as singer-songwriter Adele's manager.
Two of his victims were newly-acquired Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George, and one of the players traded for his services by the Indiana Pacers in Victor Oladipo.
Jackson apparently solicited shoes from the two that he claimed were going to be auctioned, and its proceeds will be donated to a charity, according to The Miami Herald's Dan Ovalle. He used fake emails and sent them to some former and current NBA players to try and receive valuable items from them that he can personally use or sell. He even offered tickets to Adele's concerts in exchange for sneakers and other apparel.
“Offered Adele concert tickets in exchange for sneakers from basketball players Carmelo Anthony, Russell Westbrook, and Bismack Biyombo, among others, purportedly for an auction to benefit charities. He succeeded in getting sneakers shipped to him from NBA stars Paul George, Victor Oladipo, and Richard Hamilton.”
This is not the first time the suspect has been charged of impersonating a celebrity's representative. 10 years ago, Jackson was also arrested for persuading a jewelry store to release more than $2 million worth of jewelries, when he posed as Madonna's agent.
He and his wife, Angel Lii, will now face trial and could see years of jail-time if proven guilty. With this news surfacing, many are hopeful that it serves as a reminder to the public to be more vigilant to avoid being scammed.
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