Student Governance Services (SGS) is no longer allowing deposit payments to vendors following the phony Migos concert booking that cost Emory $37,500, according to SGA adviser Lisa Loveall.
“We don’t do deposits because of things like that,” Loveall told about 150 SGA club treasurers Monday. “We are out that money if anything happens so please plan ahead and talk with your vendors.”
Loveall explained vendors may apply pressure to provide a deposit, but according to her, vendors are aware that most state universities do not allow deposits either. Advance deposits for alcoholic beverages will still be allowed, Loveall said.
Last March, students lost $37,500 after paying a deposit to an illegitimate booking agency for the 2017 Dooley’s week concert.
A spreadsheet of Student Programming Council (SPC)’s finances for the 2016-2017 academic year titled “SPEAKER’S FUND-A” indicates that Emory paid $37,500 to third-party booking agency Global Talent Agency, an entity that falsely claims to represent musicians and entertainers.
SPC had intended to secure hip-hop trio Migos for the Dooley’s Week 2017 concert with the $37,500 deposit, but discovered that the booking was invalid. Global Talent Agency did not respond to request for comment.
SPC President Tamara Ezzat (18B) declined to confirm the amount of money lost in the scam, but noted, “With everything that happened last year, there’s a lot of trust lost from our students … and we want to make sure we regain that trust.”
In response to the Migos incident, SPC, SGA and Campus Life formed a task force to reduce the chances of a similar incident happening again, Ezzat said. The group generated ideas that would add safeguards for the vendor booking process, Ezzat said, declining to elaborate on the specific proposals.
Onorato said the group started meeting before the Spring 2017 semester ended. Onorato declined to confirm the amount lost in the scam.
The group has yet to meet in person this academic year, but has been in communication over the summer and will continue to work with SGA and Campus Life in booking artists for Dooley’s Week and other concerts, according to Ezzat.
Onorato and Loveall did not respond to an Aug. 27 request for updates on the task force.
Alex Klugerman, Michelle Lou and Alisha Compton contributed reporting.
Note: This article contains updated information from previously published article: “Bogus Migos Booking Costs $37,500, SGA Documents Reveal”
