PHILADELPHIA – A local casino believes a shock-jock host for WFAN Radio in New York, who has been arrested for alleged participation in a multimillion-dollar concert ticket investment scam, overplayed his hand by paying them $405,000 with checks that later bounced and is seeking immediate restitution.
SugarHouse Casino HSP Gaming, LP (doing business as “SugarHouse Casino”) of Philadelphia filed suit in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas on Sept. 9 versus Craig Carton, of New York, N.Y.
Carton, best known as the co-host of "The Boomer And Carton Show" on WFAN Radio along with retired National Football League quarterback Boomer Esiason, was arrested Sept. 6 by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on criminal charges of securities fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit those crimes.
The charges were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
According to federal authorities, Carton and two other men ran a Ponzi scheme which defrauded investors of $5.6 million, by promising the money would be used to obtain and sell high-value concert tickets – but instead went to pay personal expenses, including Carton's extensive gambling debts, and repay the scheme's earlier investors.
If convicted, Carton faces a possible 45-year prison sentence and multi-million-dollar fines. In addition to the criminal charges filed against him in a New York federal court, a separate civil complaint has been filed against Carton by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
As a result of his arrest, WFAN has indefinitely suspended Carton from his on-air hosting duties.
Per the instant lawsuit involving SugarHouse Casino, Carton signed a countercheck(s) drawn on his own bank and made payable to the plaintiff in exchange for chips and/or cash, while gambling at the casino in Philadelphia. The casino adds the checks in question were dishonored by the bank upon which they have been drawn, having been deposited during the statutory time period.
However, the casino’s demand for payment from Carton for the amount in question, $405,000, has allegedly gone without response.
The plaintiff is seeking the unpaid damages of $405,000 plus allowable interest, costs, attorney’s fees and such other relief as the Court shall deem just and proper in accordance with the law.
The plaintiff is represented by Josiah Knapp of Ryan Brown Berger & Gibbons, in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas case 170900561
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nickpennrecord@gmail.com