Carlos Desean Goodspeed, a 43-year-old man who claimed to be a concert promoter for renowned artists such as Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj, has been charged with fraud, as announced by U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Leigha Simonton.
Goodspeed, operating under the business name "Straight Like That Entertainment," was indicted on April 16 on three counts of wire fraud. He was apprehended without incident at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on Wednesday and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renée H. Toliver on Thursday.
According to the indictment, Goodspeed purportedly convinced investors of his affiliation with a multinational event marketing company, soliciting substantial investments with promises of high returns, some as much as 50%, within a short timeframe.
For instance, in July 2018, he allegedly persuaded one victim to invest $400,000, promising a $250,000 profit within four months for promoting touring shows featuring artists like Nicki Minaj and Future.
However, immediately after receiving the investment, Goodspeed allegedly diverted funds for personal expenses and to pay off other investors. Similar incidents occurred in January 2022 when he solicited $50,000 from another investor for concert tickets and suites, failing to deliver the promised returns.
In total, investors suffered a collective loss of over one million dollars due to Goodspeed's alleged actions.
An indictment serves as an accusation and does not imply guilt. Goodspeed is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, he could face up to 60 years in prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Dallas Field Office led the investigation.
