Group Charged After Allegedly Scamming Georgia Hotels Out of Thousands

Image: PHOTO: Multiple Atlanta hotels were left with unpaid tabs. (photo by Paul Heney) (Photo by Paul Heney.)
Image: PHOTO: Multiple Atlanta hotels were left with unpaid tabs. (photo by Paul Heney) (Photo by Paul Heney.)
Patrick Clarke
by Patrick Clarke
Last updated: 4:01 PM ET, Wed February 12, 2020

A pair of rap industry imposters are facing serious charges after allegedly scamming multiple Georgia hotels out of tens of thousands of dollars.

Citing a criminal complaint filed this week in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, the Associated Press reported that Walker Washington and Aaron Barnes-Burpo are being charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft after posing as members of the Jay-Z-founded entertainment agency Roc Nation.

The Georgian Terrace Hotel and the Hyatt Regency Atlanta on Peachtree Street were left with unpaid bills of $45,000 and $39,000, respectively.

What's more, the group is also accused of renting a Rolls Royce Phantom from A-National Limousine-which reported a loss of close to $60,000-and spending time in two Atlanta recording studios, racking up a tab of more than $17,000.

The alleged scam ended at the Fairfield Inn and Suites in nearby Augusta, Georgia, after the suspicious staff, including the hotel sales director, contacted Roc Nation and was informed that the firm wasn't associated with the men booking rooms, who were eventually detained by Richmond County sheriff's deputies.

According to the complaint, one of the credits cards used in the scam was stolen and another was likely fake.

Earlier this year, a Utah man was accused of using rodents to scam hotels into offering him free stays.


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Patrick Clarke

Patrick Clarke

Senior Editor

A Maryland native and wanderer who has lived across the U.S. from North Carolina to SoCal, Patrick Clarke graduated from Towson University with a B.S. in journalism. He previously worked for Bleacher

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