Man Arrested for Country-Rock Scheme
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Craig Brosman-
Thomas Michael Barth was involved in a scheme and misrepresented himself as an agent for a country-western rock band and singer Brantley Gilbert. Gilbert and his band are currently on tour in the United States, and recently performed in Fort Wayne.
Barth misrepresented himself to be associated with the band, and then supported his scheme by sending e-mail and text messages to Roberts Signs, Warsaw, and musician Kevin Kyle, Winona Lake, as if they were sent from Brantley Gilbert himself. More than $8,000 in personalized product and clothing were fraudulently ordered and received by Barth from Robert’s Signs during the last three months.
Also, approximately $4,000 in musical and electronic equipment and a computer were ordered and sent by Kyle to Barth under the same scheme.
Much of the merchandise has been recovered. It did not appear that anyone else was part of the scheme to defraud the local victims.
On April 12, Barth was interviewed by Warsaw detectives and did admit his involvement and misrepresentation to the local victims, representing himself to be associated with them as a photographer and agent, as well as personally sending misleading texts and messages that appeared to be from singer Gilbert.
Gilbert and his managers have reported that they have had numerous complaints about Barth in the past few months, and ordered him to cease misrepresenting himself as Gilbert and that he is associated with their band, based in Georgia.
Barth turned himself into the LaGrange County Jail Thursday, and was being transported to the Kosciusko County Jail and booked for two counts of theft, Class D felonies, and held for those charges, and is awaiting adjudication through Kosciusko County courts.
Barth is being held at the Kosciusko County Jail on $2,000 bond.
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Thomas Michael Barth was involved in a scheme and misrepresented himself as an agent for a country-western rock band and singer Brantley Gilbert. Gilbert and his band are currently on tour in the United States, and recently performed in Fort Wayne.
Barth misrepresented himself to be associated with the band, and then supported his scheme by sending e-mail and text messages to Roberts Signs, Warsaw, and musician Kevin Kyle, Winona Lake, as if they were sent from Brantley Gilbert himself. More than $8,000 in personalized product and clothing were fraudulently ordered and received by Barth from Robert’s Signs during the last three months.
Also, approximately $4,000 in musical and electronic equipment and a computer were ordered and sent by Kyle to Barth under the same scheme.
Much of the merchandise has been recovered. It did not appear that anyone else was part of the scheme to defraud the local victims.
On April 12, Barth was interviewed by Warsaw detectives and did admit his involvement and misrepresentation to the local victims, representing himself to be associated with them as a photographer and agent, as well as personally sending misleading texts and messages that appeared to be from singer Gilbert.
Gilbert and his managers have reported that they have had numerous complaints about Barth in the past few months, and ordered him to cease misrepresenting himself as Gilbert and that he is associated with their band, based in Georgia.
Barth turned himself into the LaGrange County Jail Thursday, and was being transported to the Kosciusko County Jail and booked for two counts of theft, Class D felonies, and held for those charges, and is awaiting adjudication through Kosciusko County courts.
Barth is being held at the Kosciusko County Jail on $2,000 bond.
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