Sean Barriero admitted to transporting $200,000 taken by fraud and will be sentenced on February 21. He faces up to ten years in prison.
Barriero, and another man, Marc Hubbard, 44, of North Carolina, were indicted following an investigation into the failed concert. Federal officials say Hubbard told Barriero that he had relationships inside Stevie Wonder’s management to book the UH concert and that he was dealing with a close associate of Stevie Wonder who had approved the dates for the concert.
In June, UH wire transferred $200,000 to one of Barriero’s accountants in Florida. According to officials, $120,000 was disbursed to Hubbard who spent all of it on personal and business expenses unrelated to the Stevie Wonder concert.
According to court documents, on July 16, Barriero had a phone call with a UH official that was secretly recorded by the FBI with the UH official’s consent. During the recorded phone call, Barriero assured the UH official that the UH’s $200,000 deposit had been sent to Stevie Wonder’s management and that Barriero had not taken his fee. During that phone call, Barriero refused to disclose the name of the individual in Stevie Wonder’s management who had received the UH’s money.
The judge granted a $50,000 bond during Thursday’s hearing.
Hubbard appeared in a North Carolina courtroom Thursday. A detention hearing will take place on Tuesday to determine whether Hubbard is allowed to travel to Hawaii on his own to face charges, or if he needs to be escorted by authorities.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
