Remember Jared Threatin? If you somehow missed this story, Threatin, a completely unknown power metal band, kicked off their European tour playing to empty venues, and the venues realized they'd been duped by a fake promoter (that was actually Jered) and that Jered created an entirely made up online presence. The whole con kept unraveling and what's even crazier is his own bandmates didn't realize it until the story broke. Jered Threatin's real identity was exposed and the story kind of took a dark turn. Jered finally admitted to the hoax to Rolling Stone, and then got a a second profile on the BBC.
Jered got a lot of publicity for not a lot to show for it. But here's the thing. People's lives were affected by this hoax, who were in no way in on the hoax. Those people were his former bandmates, who paid money for travel and equipment that was never reimbursed. So they sued Jered, and won! MetalSucks reports:
Public records posted on the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino website show that former guitarist Joe Prunera and former drummer Dane Davis took Eames and his wife Kelsey, who had a large role in perpetrating her husband’s schemes, to small claims court and successfully recovered all the money they were seeking. Prunera was awarded $10,000, the maximum amount allowable in small claims court, plus $250 in court fees, while Davis recovered a total of $3,975.29. The Eameses failed to appear in court to defend themselves, resulting in a default judgment against them.
Prunera and Davis sought recovery of money they spent on flights home from Threatin’s failed European tour, food and basic living expenses while on the road, lost wages while away, and musical instruments and gear they had purchased specifically for the tour. Both men quit Threatin in the middle of the band’s botched tour as word of Eames’ hoax broke on the internet.
Davis’s mother, Debra, who sought recovery of funds she lent her son to book a return flight from Europe when the tour collapsed, as well as money she spent to fly herself to Ireland to see her son play, also sued the Eameses and was awarded a total of $4,035.66, including court fees.
All three cases were heard on the same date. Jered and his girlfriend completely avoided the notices to appear in court and eventually, Jered's girlfriend, Kelsey, was served papers in person. They failed to appear in court to plead their case. They are completely ignoring the trial and could be held in contempt of court.
MetalSucks reports that the former bandmates are now exploring ways to get their money back, whether it be freezing of assets or wage garnishment.
Meanwhite, Jered is actively looking for new bandmates and plans to tour this summer. Great.
