Con Artist: UPDATED
on June 7th, 2009Alas, we have another one.
Shane Senter, a science fiction fan living on government disability, has been charged with felony theft and fraud after dozens of fans filed complaints against his “Jump Con” convention scheme, a nationwide traveling show which was to have featured guests from major television programs like Battlestar Galactica, and Babylon 5.
Senter has also been accused of running fraudulent charity schemes after soliciting funds from local businesses to provide computers for the New Hampshire school system. The organization Senter fronted never filed papers to register as a charity.
Senter has now declared bankruptcy, owing millions of dollars to fans, hotels, and vendors, as well as over $500,000 to actors and performers who were contracted to appear at the Jump Con conventions.
“This guy ended up doing . . . a real major con job on all of us,” Olmos said.
At AirLock Alpha, Michael Hinman has several articles about the fraud scheme.
Robert Picardo, who played the EMH on “Voyager” as well as starred in the final season of “Stargate: Atlantis,” said at the time he was suffering from misinformation being distributed about how much he’d been paid, and who actually canceled.
“I have no ‘scheduling conflict’ for JumpCon Boston and have not canceled,” Picardo said at the time, according to TrekToday. “JumpCon unilaterally removed me from their Web site without notifying me that I was canceled. Why? Perhaps because our contract stipulates that I’m due a 25 percent cancellation fee if JumpCon cancels me within 60 days of the event.”
Here, a partial list of debts to celebrities:
- Edward James Olmos of “Battlestar Galactica” for $60,000
- “Battlestar Galactica” actress Mary McDonnell for $40,000
- Highlander actor Adrian Paul for $22,500
- “Doctor Who” actor Frazer Hines for $22,000
- Popular Stargate recurring actor Cliff Simon for $21,000
- “Star Trek: Enterprise” actor John Billingsley and wife Bonita Fredericy of “Chuck” for $15,000
- “Andromeda” and “Hercules” star Kevin Sorbo for $15,000
- Claudia Christian of “Babylon 5″ for $13,000
- “Star Trek: The Next Generation” actress Denise Crosby for $12,000
- Character actress Musetta Vander for $12,000
- Vanessa Angel of “Weird Science” for $12,000
- “Star Trek: Voyager” and “Stargate: Atlantis” actor Robert Picardo for $11,000
- Shannon Sylvia of “Ghost Hunters International” for $10,125
- Andrew Divoff from “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” for $10,000
At actor Adrian Paul’s fan website, info on where to go to file a complaint with the bankruptcy court.
ADDENDUM: Laffsalot from Con News comments:
This is from Shanes myspace page. I’m surprised his new slick PR/Management convention salvage ppl haven’t strongly advised him to take it offline. A quote from the “Emperor”
“He is the perfect man for the position of convention organizer; he won’t play the game, he deals with everyone with respect but gives them enough rope to hang themselves. He is a straight shooter and will let you know were you stand at all times. If you try to screw him you are out on your ass in no uncertain terms.
Some of the classic phrases that Shane uses on a regular basis are the following:
“F*** them, move on and Next”
“Own your problem and fix it”
“What the F*** is this and what is your malfunction?” and the most endearing is
“What the hell? Why are you pissing on my leg and telling me it’s raining”? ”
Good lord. I know this type: so organized! So professional! So on the ball!
So full of it.
An excellent article at Strange Horizons on scammers in fandom. Must read:
In fact, business failures and fraud issues may be compounded by fandom’s open-door policy. By its very nature, fandom tends to operate in a grey area, outside traditional boundaries of “professional” and “amateur.” A published novelist writes a short story that appears in a literary fanzine; actors and crew members form a casual jam band that tours at conventions; a television actor appears free at some events, for $10,000 at others. Meanwhile, those who run fanzines, websites, and fan businesses usually do so while holding down a professional role in their “real” life…
Yet, at the center of each failure, there is generally one person with delusions of grandeur. One of fandom’s favorite jokes is that of the “SMOF”—the Secret Master of Fandom—who has read the Necronomicon and other tantalizing, yet secret data on running a successful event or enterprise. When someone literally brags of having SMOF-like power—(“If you give me your money, I’ll give you unlimited access to your favorite author, make you as rich as J. K. Rowling, or get your favorite TV show back on the air!”)—that’s a warning sign.
My previous posts on scammers in fandom include:
The notorious Amy Player, she of the multiple identities. She also ran a charity scam and put on a fake convention, rooking members of the Lord of the Rings cast.
Ross Rojek, who spent many years in fandom, nailed a number of comics pros for bucks, but wasn’t brought to justice until he created a fake facial recognition scheme which bilked investors for millions.
The Decipher Games embezzlement.
And lest we forget: Rick Olney.
As some of you may recall, I got nailed by a small time yuckster who was trying to pass himself off as an agent and manager (even though I already have an agent, and have had the same agent since 1980-something – the real agent is Spencer Beck, thank you very much.) The fake even convinced me he was running a Lord of the Rings gallery exhibit. This came as a shock to the gallery which never had a contract with the guy in the first place. Unfortunately, I did not find this out until some time later.
The LOTR gallery scheme tied up my art and kept me from the legit Images of Middle Earth traveling exhibit to which I was also invited. I was not amused. I still have the letter of invitation. I weep over it, occasionally.
I got off relatively light after breaking from this goober. Even pros like me with years of experience make a misstep and get involved with people who are either completely incompetent, exaggerate their connections and abilities to get access (gosh, golly, willikers, they never meant any harm!) or are simply liars and frauds out for what they can get.
It’s especially hard when someone you consider a friend screws you over, but it happens. One major pro I know found that a close friend of more than a decade had been passing himself off as his agent, and selling rights to his books to foreign publishers.
Criminy, if he needed money that badly, he simply could have asked.
No one likes to post these stories. They make fandom look bad. We all know that fandom is a great place full of wonderful people.
But not everyone in fandom is nice.
Please be careful. Do your homework, check people out.
c
RETURN TO CURRENT PAGE OF WEBCOMIC
It’s been a bad couple of years for cons. I’d hate to think that the days of the smaller cons are over and the only options left are huge productions like San Diego Comic-Con or DragonCon. I enjoy those a lot, too, but I’ve had many a good time at the smaller, more intimate cons. Situations like this could have a chilling effect on the pros invited to cons, too.
I prefer the smaller, regional cons myself, and it is a shame that many seem to be going under.
And yes, I know a lot of pros get disillusioned and don’t want to do shows after a bad experience.
I also just found out that some of those listed payments to celebrities are not for one appearance but for multiple appearances.
In case anyone was wondering.
Anyway, one of my first experiences in fandom was with a con man who ran a convention and embezzled the funds. He used me and a bunch of my teen friends to do all the legwork and raise the dough, and then he spent the money.
We raised funds selling candy. After the show bills had not been paid, people started rooting around, looking for where the money had gone.
Some of it was still in his closet. He had boxes and boxes of unsold candy he had never returned to the fund raising org for credit. He had simply been eating the stacks of chocolate bars!
It was also my first experience with having my art stolen. After he got a legal notice attached to his door, he showed up at my house to “explain” everything.
After a few minutes of getting read the riot act by my dad, the jackass was sobbing with fright.
I also recall this incident as being the first time I ever swore in front of my parents. I went into a blind rage. I saw red, spots in front of my eyes, the whole nine yards.
He was a total pig, having a relationship with an underage girl in our SF club. He was very abusive to her.
Don’t know what happened to him (and yes, I did a search and could only find one very old reference to the guy online), but he got into trouble with the police over his treatment of her, which devolved into stalking. A real mess.
Looking back on it, I’m surprised I didn’t leave fandom for good over it all. The situation was ghastly.
Colleen, it sounds like when he showed up at the door, he was not expecting the “pretty, young artist” to get a parental legal lecture.
(You’ve got a great, supportive family!)
But I can certainly sympathize with the smaller cons. I’m chairing a literary conference this summer, and it is small. We can offer our Guests of Honor free room & board and transportation costs, but beyond that…. it’s not a wealthy organization. But we have a lot of fun talking fantasy books. (For the curious – it’s Mythcon 40 — http://www.mythsoc.org/mythcon/40/ — and our Author Guest of Honor is some guy who does stuff about dragons… James Owen, I think his name is.
)
Oh, gah… blew that first sentence! “He was not expecting the “p,ya” to BE BACKED BY A ….”
What a horror story!
Speaking of small cons, there was apparently one last Saturday in Chesapeake put on by Fantasci. Looks like Tidewater Alliance, Starfleet Atlantic and Stargate SG-9 were involved. Pamela Kinney and Tony Ruggiero were amongst the names featured on the workshops.
I did not go since I have already committed for Heroes ( I’ll see you there!) and San Diego and I have already spent too much already! But I was wondering how it did. There was also Ravencon in Richmond in April that I somehow missed. they have another planned for next year so they must be doing alright.
On the other hand, speaking of non existent cons, if you haven’t already heard the story,when next you run into Mark Waid, ask him about his ‘Basement Con’.
If I recall the details correctly, apparently he was invited to a Con, they paid for his tickets and put him up at a hotel. The organizer chauffeured him to the con that turned out to be in his basement. Apparently four fans had wanted to meet him, so pooled together their money and paid him to come to their private con. They were nice, but Mark checks out things a little more carefully these days.
LOL!
Back around 1994 or so, a retailer decided he wanted to meet me. DC had a co-op program where they paid half a freelancer’s appearance costs, so this event probably cost him $100 out of pocket.
So I fly to Georgia, and the retailer picks me up in his car which looks like a bomb had gone off in it. A sticky seat and it smelled, too. The entire way to the store, the guy complained about his ex-wife and how she had accused him of abusing his kid.
He asks if I wouldn’t mind staying in his apartment with him so he can save money on hotel costs.
Hell, no.
BTW, I can’t tell you how often this happens. If you don’t specify in your appearance contract the calibre of accomodation, you are going to end up on a couch living with total strangers. Who may be serial killers.
After I strongly demand a hotel, I got one. He was very surly about that.
Then we get to the shop. There is no one there. There is no advertising, or promotion.
The retailer just wanted a chance for him and a few friends to meet me and look at my portfolio. For added thrills, the place smelled so badly of cat urine it made my eyes burn.
Still it paled in comparison to the stay with the host whose hash dealer showed up to make a sale. I was certain I was going to end up in jail in a foreign country.
I never go anywhere anymore without a nice pocket full of credit cards so I can ditch if necessary.
PS; Scribbler, Mythcon looks quite nice. Would you like me to blurb it on the blog?
That would be great, Colleen! We’re still open for registrations, of course, and the campus accommodations (if you get it through the conference) includes all the meals (REALLY good, since I’ve dined there twice now) and are hotel quality dorms with private baths. (These are important things to our regulars – heh). But it’s a great weekend talking about fantasy books, and James of course will be vastly entertaining.
LOL!
If I had known of that retailer program, I could have had you at my store.
I had my own store from 95-98 but I had difficulty working full time and managing the store in my spare time.
No kidding? I had no idea! Holy cow, Miki. Have you thought about giving it another go?
Not really. Comic shop owners have my sympathy and total support. It’s a tough business and they have to work very hard to make a decent living. I am sure that they are struggling in the current economy. I read on Comic Book Resources that March 2009 was the third worst month for sales since 2003.
Whatever your politics are though, Obama has helped to boost the profile of comic books along with Marvel Sales in January and February with the sales of ASM 583 going over 500,000 copies.
I try to do all my comic related purchases at the comic shops even though some of the merchandise is available elsewhere like Amazon.
I had a dream of owning a comic store and i did it but it’s time to move on.
I agree. And if there were a comic shop anywhere near here, I’d be there every week. I’d much rather be able to go to a nice comic shop than shop online.
When I go to Charlotte Heroes Con next week, I intend to do some spending! I hope I get my paycheck by then. I want to do a LOT of spending!
Collen, I got burned by this cretin Senter, and knew just how this was going to play out when he cancelled his show in Boston only days before the convention.
A lot of people could not change their travel arrangements as I was able to, and Mark Goddard showed up and met with the poor unfortunate people who did come to Boston. They had their own convention.
This whole thing has really soured me on conventions, and for the first time ever, I skipped MegaCon and have no desire to go to any more conventions. I am finished with them. All of them. Never again!
Samuel, I am very sorry to hear that! Out of all the years I have been attending conventions, I’ve had, perhaps a dozen truly bad convention experiences. There have been so many great events! I hope you will change your mind at some point.
Definitely consider Heroes Con in the future! A better convention you won’t find!
Collen,
Heroes Con is run by one of the nicest guys out there, and certainly is up there as a fine experience and I recommend it for anyone into comics. I have been to several of them and always had a pleasant experience (yep, even better than MegaCon, sorry to say) there, and if Charlotte was as close as Orlando to me, I would be going there.
The conventions over in Europe seem to be a horse of a different color(or colour) and the last one I went to was fanatastic, so those are the ones I will be going to when I go to them.