Producers sue over alleged 'Rebecca' musical scam

By David B. Caruso

Associated Press

Published: Friday, Oct. 19 2012 11:05 a.m. MDT

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FILE--In this photo from Saturday, Sept. 18, 2006, ensemble members perform during a dress rehearsal for the musical "Rebecca" at Vienna's Raimund Theatre. The play's Broadway production in New York collapsed this week, launching a FBI fraud investigation of the circumstances.

Stephan Tirerenberg, File, Associated Press

Summary

The producers of the Broadway musical "Rebecca" have sued a Long Island securities dealer who was charged criminally this week with sinking the show with a bizarre fraud.

NEW YORK — The producers of the Broadway musical "Rebecca" have sued a Long Island securities dealer who was charged criminally this week with sinking the show with a bizarre fraud.

Mark Hotton was arrested Monday. Prosecutors accused him of flimflamming the musical's producers with an elaborate scheme.

They say he pretended to have raised $4.5 million in investments for the musical in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars in commissions and travel expenses.

Prosecutors say the investors he claimed to have recruited all turned out to be fakes.

The producers say in their lawsuit that Hotton's alleged deception "gravely wounded" the show, which is now on hold indefinitely.

Hotton's lawyer has said that his client didn't set out to defraud the show.

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