New York — A former stock broker was arrested early Monday on charges of defrauding the producers of the Broadway musical adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock's psychological thriller "Rebecca."
Mark Hotton, 46, led the producers to believe he had $4.5 million in financing commitments and the possibility of a $1.1 million loan, said Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara.
He was arrested at his West Islip home and was awaiting a court appearance later Monday in Central Islip.
The planned Broadway production of the 1938 novel collapsed earlier this month amid questions about its financial backing, and a growing suspicion that one of its primary investors – a secretive businessman named Paul Abrams who had supposedly pledged $4.5 million, then suddenly died of malaria – never existed.
"Mark Hotton perpetrated stranger-than-fiction frauds both on and off Broadway," Bharara said. "Hotton concocted a cast of characters to invest in a major musical – investors who turned out to be deep-pocketed phantoms.
Mark Hotton, 46, led the producers to believe he had $4.5 million in financing commitments and the possibility of a $1.1 million loan, said Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara.
He was arrested at his West Islip home and was awaiting a court appearance later Monday in Central Islip.
The planned Broadway production of the 1938 novel collapsed earlier this month amid questions about its financial backing, and a growing suspicion that one of its primary investors – a secretive businessman named Paul Abrams who had supposedly pledged $4.5 million, then suddenly died of malaria – never existed.
"Mark Hotton perpetrated stranger-than-fiction frauds both on and off Broadway," Bharara said. "Hotton concocted a cast of characters to invest in a major musical – investors who turned out to be deep-pocketed phantoms.
- 10/15/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
According to the New York Post, Ronald Russo , lawyer for producer Ben Sprecher has now said that Sprecher had been led to Abrams by shadowy Long Island businessman, Mark Hotton, who told him Abrams died before he could hand over the dough, sources have said. There also were three other investors Hotton told Sprecher about who supposedly promised another combined 2 million for the show, the sources have said. But following an extensive search over the last week, I can now confirm that there is no evidence whatever that Paul Abrams or any of the other three investors brought to this production by Mr. Hotton, ever existed, said Sprechers lawyer, Ronald Russo. The lawyer said they conducted an investigation in both the Us and England.
- 10/8/2012
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
According to the New York Post, Ronald Russo , lawyer for producer Ben Sprecher has now said that Sprecher had been led to Abrams by shadowy Long Island businessman, Mark Hotton, who told him Abrams died before he could hand over the dough, sources have said. There also were three other investors Hotton told Sprecher about who supposedly promised another combined 2 million for the show, the sources have said. But following an extensive search over the last week, I can now confirm that there is no evidence whatever that Paul Abrams or any of the other three investors brought to this production by Mr. Hotton, ever existed, said Sprechers lawyer, Ronald Russo. The lawyer said they conducted an investigation in both the Us and England.
- 10/8/2012
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Now according to the New York Times, the United States attorneys office is investigating whether the investor ever existed in the first place. Sprecher told Nyt I never made up or fabricated any investor, and I never made up Paul Abrams. He also revealed that a new production of Rebecca is in the works that he 'hoped to mount soon, on Broadway or elsewhere.'...
- 10/2/2012
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Yesterday the New York Times reported that the $12 million musical Rebecca, based on the Daphne du Maurier novel and set to open on Broadway this fall, was finally canceled. Over the last week, the Times’ Patrick Healy had unraveled an increasingly bizarre story in which Rebecca’s hopeful producer, Ben Sprecher (who had already been forced to cancel an earlier London production of the musical and push the New York opening from last spring), told investors that a promised $4.5 million had failed to materialize after the show’s biggest single investor — a shadowy and quite possibly illusory presence named Paul Abrams — died suddenly. Of malaria. In Britain. Where, I am told, malaria kills millionaires by the score, every hot season. (Really, now: They ought to spray, or drape the wealthy in netting. Can netting be made fashionable? Tim Gunn, pick up your Batphone! Together we can beat this...
- 10/2/2012
- by Scott Brown
- Vulture
It's back on Rebecca, the new musical based on the classic novel by Daphne du Maurier novel and later turned into an Oscar-winning film by Alfred Hitchcock which was postponed earlier this year, will now open on Broadway Sunday, November 18 at The Broadhurst Theatre 235 West 44th Street. Previews will begin Tuesday, October 30. Rebecca will be produced by Ben Sprecher and Louise Forlenza with The Shubert Organization, DC Tours Pty Ltd, Manderley Partners, Julian Spencer, Paul Abrams, Tony Fusco, Nanda Anand, Peter Bogyo, Peter Bezemes and Dennis Grimaldi, in association with David Mirvish, Stage Entertainment and Larry Feinman and by special arrangement with Vereinigte Bhnen Wien GmbH. The executive producer is Marshall B. Purdy.
- 5/3/2012
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
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