BOSTON — A Pittsburgh woman was arrested Tuesday over allegations of cheating advertisers and exhibitors out of thousands of dollars for a fake bridal show in Boston, and the FBI said she conducted similar scams in five other states.
Karen Tucker and an uncharged co-conspirator are accused of posing as representatives of a business known as The Boston 411, then leading the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority to believe they would hold an extravagant home and bridal show at the Hynes Convention Center over three days in March.
The heavily promoted show promised exhibitors face time with thousands of pre-registered brides-to-be, though few were actually lined up, authorities said.
Prosecutors said Tucker and the other person collected fees in advance from exhibitors but used most of the money for personal expenses, including rent, restaurants and shopping trips to Wal-Mart.
Tucker’s business even promised some money would be used to help victims of the Haiti earthquake, though the bridal show was never held, authorities said.
Tucker also is accused of conducting scams against wedding businesses in Ohio, Florida, Maryland, Nevada and Texas.
U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz said the scheme cost many small businesses thousands of dollars and had “a large impact, with victims that spanned across the country.”
Tucker, 47, is charged with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Front Section, Pages 10 on 07/28/2010