Federal charges have been issued against a Dallas man who allegedly duped investors into believing he was a concert promoter for megastars like Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj.
Carlos Desean Goodspeed, 43, faces federal charges and 60 years in prison in connection to an alleged million-dollar fraud scheme. As indicated in a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, an FBI investigation into Goodspeed and his business dealings revealed that he allegedly portrayed himself as a concert promoter through a partnership between his business, Straight Like That Entertainment, and a multinational event marketing company.
Investors gave him considerable money after being promised large payouts, per the release.
In April 2018, Goodspeed allegedly told one investor they would get $650,000 within four months if they gave him $400,000 to promote touring shows for the artists Nicki Minaj and Future. Yet upon receiving the transfer, he allegedly used half of it to pay a court-appointed receiver in connection with an SEC lawsuit, converted $100,000 into cash and cashier’s checks, and sent $20,000 to another of his investors.
He allegedly solicited two investments — one of $50,000 and another of $130,000 — from another individual, promising similar returns in 2022. Yet the sums reportedly went towards paying other investors and funding his luxury lifestyle, including rent at an upscale apartment complex, airline and hotel expenses, and other purchases.
FBI investigators and federal prosecutors found sufficient evidence to indict Goodspeed on three counts of wire fraud, each punishable by 20 years in prison if he is found guilty. He was arrested at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and first appeared in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renée H. Toliver on April 18.
In Dallas, there have been 680 reports of fraud offenses committed this year as of April 21, according to the City’s crime analytics dashboard. Council Districts 6 and 2 have been the hottest spots for such offenses, logging 88 and 81 reports, respectively.
The Dallas Police Department has been laboring under a critical staffing shortfall, which has dampened its efforts to fight crime. Approximately 3,000 officers are fielded, whereas a City report called for closer to 4,000 officers to ensure public safety.
Meanwhile, the Dallas City Council approved a budget of just $654 million for DPD this fiscal year, which is far below the spending on police seen in other high-crime jurisdictions, including New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
