Kasey Anderson, an alt-country musician from Portland, has been sentenced to four years in jail after falsely convincing investors he was making a charity album featuring Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen, and Arcade Fire. Anderseon was found guilty of defrauding investors out of almost $600,000, most of which he used to fund his own music career.
According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Anderson told potential investors that the record would benefit the West Memphis Three, who were falsely imprisoned for over 18 years until DNA evidence exonerated them in 2011. Anderson reportedly claimed the record would feature tracks from Tom Petty, Pearl Jam, and Johnny Depp, as well as Springsteen duets with both Gaga and Arcade Fire. He backed his scheme with a network of fake e-mail addresses and assumed identities.
Anderson says he takes full responsibility for his actions, though investors have yet to be completely repaid. In a letter, Anderson says he’s a “deeply flawed and mentally ill person who made some terrible choices.”