1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:03,900 In this episode of American Greed. Y 'all feeling good? 2 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:07,280 Meet professional saxophonist Donald Ski Johnson. 3 00:00:08,420 --> 00:00:11,320 He's a recording artist and red carpet fixture. 4 00:00:11,860 --> 00:00:13,380 Y 'all looking better than me, man. 5 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:16,120 Who runs the Jazz for Life Foundation. 6 00:00:16,740 --> 00:00:20,860 But the feds say Johnson's charity helps no one but himself. 7 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:25,860 The socks, the conscience, money was being taken from these charities and it 8 00:00:25,860 --> 00:00:27,780 going to line his own pocket. 9 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:34,100 In an exclusive interview, Johnson insists he's no scammer and he's tired 10 00:00:34,100 --> 00:00:35,940 investigators calling him a con man. 11 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:39,120 They don't respect me as an artist. 12 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:45,700 They think anything I do should be free. And the minute I ask for a dollar, it's 13 00:00:45,700 --> 00:00:46,700 a scam. 14 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:52,220 Johnson targets charity auctions by donating star -studded trips with red 15 00:00:52,220 --> 00:00:56,840 access. But Ski Johnson's VIP treatment is a mirage. 16 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:00,860 You keep telling yourself, like, no, this isn't really happening. 17 00:01:01,340 --> 00:01:04,519 And you know, as an adult, you're thinking, oh, yeah, it is. 18 00:01:28,590 --> 00:01:31,390 Donald Key Johnson is a busy man. 19 00:01:31,750 --> 00:01:36,330 He's a self -proclaimed jazz superstar who appears to be living the high life. 20 00:01:38,650 --> 00:01:43,270 Shooting music videos. 21 00:01:46,150 --> 00:01:47,350 Promoting his album. 22 00:01:48,590 --> 00:01:52,030 And cultivating a powerful online presence. 23 00:01:53,070 --> 00:01:55,850 He seems to be everywhere, with everyone. 24 00:01:56,570 --> 00:01:57,810 Promoting his music. 25 00:01:58,220 --> 00:02:03,760 his own line of golf apparel, and even his very own arcade game, the sax 26 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:04,760 machine. 27 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:12,780 But it's his Jazz for Life Foundation that keeps him moving. 28 00:02:13,180 --> 00:02:15,540 Help me bring about awareness to cancer. 29 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:17,700 Support the Jazz for Life Foundation. 30 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:22,840 He travels all across the United States for the foundation, performing at 31 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:23,840 charity events. 32 00:02:24,410 --> 00:02:29,430 But some believe the only cause Ski Johnson really supports is Ski Johnson. 33 00:02:29,870 --> 00:02:32,790 And it all comes to a head in Butte, Montana. 34 00:02:35,990 --> 00:02:37,870 It's July 2015. 35 00:02:38,590 --> 00:02:43,770 And while Butte isn't exactly celebrity central, a self -proclaimed jazz 36 00:02:43,770 --> 00:02:48,390 superstar is making an appearance over at the federal courthouse. 37 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:54,920 Ski Johnson has just been convicted of one count of wire fraud for his 38 00:02:54,920 --> 00:02:59,860 involvement in a charity event benefiting big brothers, big sisters. 39 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:02,580 I never spoke in public about it. 40 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:04,360 It was painful. 41 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,380 I mean, I'm just a jazz artist. 42 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:14,100 But to think that the FBI is spending all this 43 00:03:14,100 --> 00:03:18,680 time and resources and money on you, I'm like, Ski, what did you do? 44 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:28,920 Four years before finding himself in the hot seat in Montana, Ski Johnson causes 45 00:03:28,920 --> 00:03:30,860 a stir in Seattle, Washington. 46 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:35,460 Capitol Hill is just right up across the way. That's where a lot of great bars 47 00:03:35,460 --> 00:03:36,460 and restaurants are. 48 00:03:38,300 --> 00:03:40,800 Andy Caruso is a Seattle entrepreneur. 49 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:47,480 In 2011, he runs the Seattle Nightlife Facebook page when he is contacted by a 50 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:49,080 man named Larry Toy. 51 00:03:50,190 --> 00:03:54,290 So I wanted it to be about not just a platform for myself, but a platform to 52 00:03:54,290 --> 00:03:57,090 able to share all the cool events that were happening in town. 53 00:03:57,590 --> 00:04:01,770 And this guy named Larry Toy reached out to me about this Jazz for Life 54 00:04:01,770 --> 00:04:04,370 Foundation, and they wanted to do a big charity event in Seattle. 55 00:04:05,430 --> 00:04:11,110 Toy explains he's the manager for Ski Johnson, the celebrity saxophonist 56 00:04:11,110 --> 00:04:12,570 the Jazz for Life Foundation. 57 00:04:13,610 --> 00:04:17,110 Caruso believes proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society. 58 00:04:17,990 --> 00:04:22,430 And Toy tells him, A -list celebrities are already on board. 59 00:04:23,470 --> 00:04:27,090 And it sounded almost too good to be true, but, you know, it's Michael 60 00:04:27,370 --> 00:04:31,050 James Earl Jones, and people like that coming. But, hey, Seattle's growing, and 61 00:04:31,050 --> 00:04:34,210 people are moving up here, and, you know, maybe it's true. 62 00:04:35,790 --> 00:04:42,150 After the call, Caruso does a web search on Ski and finds a YouTube page and 63 00:04:42,150 --> 00:04:47,090 official website portraying Ski Johnson as a Billboard number one artist. 64 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:54,880 who rubbed shoulders with the rich, famous, and powerful, regaling red 65 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:56,280 with his take on jazz, 66 00:04:56,760 --> 00:05:03,220 serenading A -list stars like 67 00:05:03,220 --> 00:05:07,000 Taraji P. Henson and Alfre Woodard. 68 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:12,920 They also mentioned that they did have the American Cancer Society on board, 69 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:15,920 they needed help connecting with local businesses and getting the word out 70 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:16,920 the charity event. 71 00:05:17,100 --> 00:05:22,260 Caruso decides to donate his services to the car and begins spreading the word 72 00:05:22,260 --> 00:05:27,560 that Michael Douglas and James Earl Jones will appear at the Black Tie Gala 73 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:29,560 February 19, 2011. 74 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:35,000 Caruso says Toy also asks him for a list of Seattle's big names. 75 00:05:35,580 --> 00:05:40,760 We felt like if he invited local celebrities, local social influencers, 76 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:41,900 more people would want to buy tickets. 77 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:45,380 So I was just like, oh, there's this person, that person, or that person. We 78 00:05:45,380 --> 00:05:48,240 just threw out a bunch of names randomly, Kathy Gertson being one of 79 00:05:48,820 --> 00:05:53,200 Good afternoon, I'm Kathy Gertson. Kathy Gertson is a beloved news anchor at 80 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:58,040 KOMO -TV, who has been battling recurrent brain tumors since 1998. 81 00:05:59,260 --> 00:06:05,370 A Seattle native and local philanthropist, Gertson will later pass 82 00:06:06,370 --> 00:06:11,990 But on February 8th of 2011, Caruso believes she's coming to the cancer 83 00:06:11,990 --> 00:06:17,670 fundraiser. That day, he gets a text from Larry Toy saying Kathy Gertson is 84 00:06:17,670 --> 00:06:22,090 board 100%. The gala is now just 11 days away. 85 00:06:22,690 --> 00:06:26,490 So that went out on social media, and then one of my friends who actually 86 00:06:26,490 --> 00:06:28,350 the family told me that... 87 00:06:28,810 --> 00:06:31,630 Kathy Gerson definitely wasn't coming to the event, and she didn't know anything 88 00:06:31,630 --> 00:06:32,630 about it. 89 00:06:33,450 --> 00:06:37,530 Unbeknownst to Caruso, Gerson has been in the hospital recovering from brain 90 00:06:37,530 --> 00:06:38,530 surgery. 91 00:06:39,230 --> 00:06:42,310 Then Caruso says Toy reaches out again. 92 00:06:43,590 --> 00:06:47,830 And he was asking for money for the down deposit for the W Hotel. 93 00:06:48,270 --> 00:06:51,210 And I'm thinking to myself at this point, I'm like, what kind of an 94 00:06:51,210 --> 00:06:54,870 would reach out to a week before the event and not have the money to put up 95 00:06:54,870 --> 00:06:57,710 front for the event, even after they already had ticket sales coming in? 96 00:06:58,060 --> 00:07:03,620 Caruso remains cordial with Toy, but now fears the Jazz for Light event is a 97 00:07:03,620 --> 00:07:10,340 scam. So he calls Seattle journalists for help, including Gertson Station KOMO 98 00:07:10,340 --> 00:07:15,440 -TV. They reach representatives for Michael Douglas and James Earl Jones, 99 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:19,020 confirm they know nothing about the fundraiser or Ski Johnson. 100 00:07:20,220 --> 00:07:24,680 The saxophonist has already arranged a press conference upon arriving in 101 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:26,880 to promote his gala event. 102 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:31,980 He had reached out to the local media and he's like, I'm coming to town. Roll 103 00:07:31,980 --> 00:07:32,980 the red carpet for me. 104 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:38,300 So when Ski Johnson arrives, he walks into an ambush. 105 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:43,080 And there's no manager named Larry Toy by his side to help him out. 106 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:45,240 Did you speak with them? 107 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:47,280 The people who represent them. 108 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:48,820 Did you speak with them? 109 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:51,320 Well, no, I did not have a conversation with Michael Douglas. Well, I did. 110 00:07:51,700 --> 00:07:55,020 It's my testimony. I had a conversation with him. And he will be here this 111 00:07:55,020 --> 00:08:01,910 weekend? I, my testimony is that he, that James Earl Jones, that they were 112 00:08:01,910 --> 00:08:05,070 invited and I wanted them and I invited them to come to this event. 113 00:08:05,510 --> 00:08:11,090 I'll sit next to my friend and I had this crazy idea in my mind because I 114 00:08:11,090 --> 00:08:14,510 the voice of Ski Johnson and it sounded exactly the same as Larry Toy. 115 00:08:14,930 --> 00:08:20,030 I'm like, this couldn't get any crazier. I'm like, is this for real? I'm going 116 00:08:20,030 --> 00:08:22,130 to call Larry Toy right now on my phone. 117 00:08:22,730 --> 00:08:23,730 While he's talking. 118 00:08:23,750 --> 00:08:28,390 And I called Larry Toy's phone number. And whatever phone was on Ski Johnson 119 00:08:28,390 --> 00:08:33,590 rang. I mean, I can't say that. But you are saying that. We're just sitting in 120 00:08:33,590 --> 00:08:38,530 the corner just freaking out. Like, Larry Toy is Ski Johnson. Ski Johnson is 121 00:08:38,530 --> 00:08:39,530 Larry Toy. 122 00:08:39,549 --> 00:08:44,150 Or for some weird circumstance, somehow he had Larry Toy's personal phone on 123 00:08:44,150 --> 00:08:47,170 him. And I'm like, and they sound exactly the same. 124 00:08:47,450 --> 00:08:48,650 And it's a scam. 125 00:08:49,710 --> 00:08:54,910 Ski Johnson tells American Greed Caruso's story about the W Hotel deposit 126 00:08:54,910 --> 00:08:55,910 made up. 127 00:08:55,970 --> 00:09:00,530 Johnson also denies confirming the appearances of Michael Douglas and James 128 00:09:00,530 --> 00:09:06,310 Jones, saying the materials he provided to Caruso made no mention of the stars. 129 00:09:06,830 --> 00:09:11,690 This is a copy of the flyer that we created. 130 00:09:12,810 --> 00:09:18,090 This is a posting from Facebook that we started posting. 131 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:19,720 Around that time. 132 00:09:20,340 --> 00:09:22,040 Has nothing about any of that. 133 00:09:22,820 --> 00:09:28,280 But what about that text saying Kathy Gertzen is on board 100 %? 134 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:30,560 There's a whole text. 135 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:37,740 We may have worded it wrong. We felt she was on board 100 % partially by what 136 00:09:37,740 --> 00:09:42,860 was said, but we ended the sentence saying we're still waiting to hear final 137 00:09:42,860 --> 00:09:43,860 confirmation. 138 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:48,180 Gertson's colleagues at KOMO News don't buy that explanation. 139 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:52,720 You take a shot at the promoters and they've given us evidence that shows 140 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:57,900 where you make statements about Kathy Gertson being ready. She's in the 141 00:09:57,900 --> 00:09:59,420 when you say that she's good to go. 142 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:01,220 We've checked with Michael Douglas. 143 00:10:01,460 --> 00:10:05,700 You guys never contacted Michael Douglas. He kept on changing his story 144 00:10:05,700 --> 00:10:08,700 eventually just called off the event and left town. 145 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:14,980 The $13 ,000 raised has already been transferred to Johnson's bank account. 146 00:10:17,020 --> 00:10:23,320 As for the mysterious Larry Toy, Ski Johnson admits the name belongs to an 147 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:24,320 friend. 148 00:10:24,420 --> 00:10:29,260 Johnson sees use of an alias as a helpful tactic when booking work as a 149 00:10:29,260 --> 00:10:32,880 performer, making negotiating perks less awkward. 150 00:10:34,730 --> 00:10:38,790 Federal investigators contend Ski Johnson has a pattern of hiding behind 151 00:10:38,790 --> 00:10:41,870 aliases, and not just Larry Toy. 152 00:10:42,170 --> 00:10:47,210 He would call using the aliases of either Kevin Wright or Richard Sims, 153 00:10:47,390 --> 00:10:53,610 representing Ski Johnson, and in reality that was Ski Johnson himself. 154 00:10:55,230 --> 00:10:56,930 Next on American Greed. 155 00:10:57,520 --> 00:11:03,140 Come along on a spectacular trip to the Grammy Awards with Ski Johnson's idea of 156 00:11:03,140 --> 00:11:04,320 VIP treatment. 157 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:09,780 I'm just watching what's unfolding in front of me and I'm thinking, oh no, 158 00:11:09,780 --> 00:11:11,760 is not good. This is not good. 159 00:11:23,490 --> 00:11:29,570 Investigators say in late 2011, Ski Johnson again poses as his own manager. 160 00:11:29,890 --> 00:11:35,970 This time, he's Kevin Wright, to book a performance at a hospice fundraiser in 161 00:11:35,970 --> 00:11:37,050 Palm Beach, Florida. 162 00:11:38,790 --> 00:11:43,990 Wright says Johnson is a three -time Grammy nominee, who was also interested 163 00:11:43,990 --> 00:11:46,730 donating a trip to the 2012 Grammy Awards. 164 00:11:48,620 --> 00:11:53,800 When donors give items to charity auctions, they usually require nothing 165 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:58,840 return. The charities get to keep 100 % of the proceeds raised by the item's 166 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:04,240 sale. However, when the Jazz for Life Foundation donates Grammy tickets, it 167 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:08,120 requires the partner charity to agree to split the proceeds. 168 00:12:08,700 --> 00:12:13,440 Jazz for Life keeps one half, and the partner charity gets the other. 169 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:20,060 But Johnson acknowledges he uses Jazz for Life's share to reimburse himself 170 00:12:20,060 --> 00:12:24,520 the initial purchase of the tickets and to cover the luxurious perks included in 171 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:25,520 the trip package. 172 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:29,160 You have to purchase Grammy tickets, you have to have limo rides, you have to 173 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:30,880 have hotels. These things are expensive. 174 00:12:31,540 --> 00:12:33,440 I mean, it's not no pick -up -and -drop -off. 175 00:12:33,660 --> 00:12:34,660 I wish. 176 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:42,080 Beth Charbonneau and her husband, Larry, placed the winning bid at the hospice 177 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:44,660 event. a $12 ,000 donation. 178 00:12:45,120 --> 00:12:49,820 We knew we would end up supporting the organization that night regardless, but 179 00:12:49,820 --> 00:12:56,360 we ended up getting in a bidding war with another couple, and Larry was bound 180 00:12:56,360 --> 00:12:59,280 and determined that he was going to send me to the Grammy Awards. 181 00:13:00,540 --> 00:13:04,980 Beth Charbonneau plans to invite her best friend Mary Ann King on the trip, 182 00:13:05,100 --> 00:13:08,360 which will also include a hotel stay in Los Angeles. 183 00:13:11,210 --> 00:13:15,970 The women arrive at their hotel on Friday afternoon, February 10th. 184 00:13:16,770 --> 00:13:21,030 When I checked in, they told me they had to take my credit card, and I didn't 185 00:13:21,030 --> 00:13:24,990 understand why, because it was supposed to be paid for. So they told me that Mr. 186 00:13:25,150 --> 00:13:29,250 Johnson had not checked in yet, and that when he did, they would make sure they 187 00:13:29,250 --> 00:13:30,630 switched out the credit card. 188 00:13:31,310 --> 00:13:35,910 Charbonneau says when Johnson arrives later that day, he promises to take care 189 00:13:35,910 --> 00:13:36,950 of the credit card issue. 190 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:40,620 And suggests they all meet up for dinner later that night. 191 00:13:41,340 --> 00:13:47,480 It got to be like 7 o 'clock, 8 o 'clock, 9 o 'clock. We never heard from 192 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:50,900 Johnson. So we didn't end up going out that night. 193 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:55,840 The women bump into Johnson the next morning in the hotel lobby. 194 00:13:56,480 --> 00:14:01,140 He was on his phone trying to secure two more tickets to the Grammy Awards. 195 00:14:03,329 --> 00:14:06,350 So Marianne had heard more of the conversation I had and she looked at me 196 00:14:06,350 --> 00:14:08,510 she said, oh, I hope that has nothing to do with us. 197 00:14:08,970 --> 00:14:12,890 When he got off the phone and we said to him, like, you know, we didn't get a 198 00:14:12,890 --> 00:14:15,130 chance to see you last night because you never called us for dinner. He said, 199 00:14:15,210 --> 00:14:19,490 well, I got tied up and I was really busy. So I, you know, I apologize. But, 200 00:14:19,490 --> 00:14:22,250 know, it looks like we're going to try to go over to the Clive Davis party 201 00:14:22,250 --> 00:14:23,250 tonight. 202 00:14:23,410 --> 00:14:25,990 But once again, their plans change. 203 00:14:28,190 --> 00:14:29,410 Death of a superstar. 204 00:14:29,730 --> 00:14:31,570 There was word that Whitney Houston had. 205 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:32,939 passed away. 206 00:14:32,940 --> 00:14:36,720 Whitney Houston was supposed to be here at the Beverly Hilton for Clive Davis's 207 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:40,120 famous pre -Grammy party. Instead, this is where she died. 208 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:41,600 When we saw Mr. 209 00:14:41,820 --> 00:14:45,300 Johnson, he told us we weren't going to go anywhere because they probably 210 00:14:45,300 --> 00:14:48,660 weren't going to have the party and he couldn't go. He was extremely upset that 211 00:14:48,660 --> 00:14:51,580 she had passed and he was getting together with some of his friends. 212 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:57,020 In this case, Johnson has an easy way out, whether he needs it or not. 213 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:03,680 February 12, 2012. 214 00:15:04,460 --> 00:15:07,120 It's the day of the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. 215 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:10,060 The biggest honors in American music. 216 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:15,940 Beth Charbonneau says Johnson has been promising a dazzling star -studded 217 00:15:15,940 --> 00:15:19,660 weekend. But so far, all he's delivered is disappointment. 218 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:27,960 We got up Sunday morning early. We decided to go for a power walk down 219 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:28,960 Monica Beach. 220 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:34,260 We were maybe out about 15 minutes, and I slid off the side of the sidewalk into 221 00:15:34,260 --> 00:15:36,860 the sand, and I fell, and I broke my wrist. 222 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:41,540 She told me there was climbing mountains, and she fell and broke her 223 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:44,340 I was rushed to the hospital, and she was not attending. 224 00:15:45,620 --> 00:15:46,620 Not attending? 225 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:49,720 Charbonneau says that has never been the case. 226 00:15:50,140 --> 00:15:53,400 The very last minute, she decides, well, I'm coming. 227 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:55,920 I assumed she wasn't coming. 228 00:15:56,420 --> 00:15:58,460 So I had to move some things around. 229 00:15:59,230 --> 00:16:03,470 get her tickets from, you know, there's a lot of places you can get tickets 230 00:16:03,470 --> 00:16:05,390 there, publicist, so on. 231 00:16:06,370 --> 00:16:11,130 Hours later, they're dressed to the nines and waiting for Steve Johnson to 232 00:16:11,130 --> 00:16:12,250 shepherd them to the show. 233 00:16:13,830 --> 00:16:20,090 We went to get in the limousine, and the limousine was, like, so beat up, and 234 00:16:20,090 --> 00:16:25,090 the overhead material in the upper part of the roof was kind of torn, and then 235 00:16:25,090 --> 00:16:28,350 when they went to offer drinks, it opened up this little... 236 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:31,880 cooler they had brought with them and their own bottles of liquor with these 237 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:35,300 plastic cups. I looked at Marianne, and I'm thinking, something doesn't feel 238 00:16:35,300 --> 00:16:39,840 right. I was sitting in there, my arms in a sling. I'm leaning back, and I'm 239 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:42,880 just watching what's unfolding in front of me in the limpy, and I'm thinking, 240 00:16:43,020 --> 00:16:47,000 oh, no, this is not good. This is not good. 241 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:53,320 Then she says Ski Johnson surprises the women by announcing they've got more 242 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:54,560 people to pick up. 243 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:03,600 Then this couple, two couples actually, got into the limousine with us and we 244 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:05,440 headed out to the Staples Center. 245 00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:07,579 I was kind of sitting back. 246 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:11,640 Marianne was having a conversation with one of the gals and she was saying that 247 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:17,020 they had been the recipients of another auction with him and they had tickets to 248 00:17:17,020 --> 00:17:18,020 go to the Grammy Awards. 249 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:23,700 So I was, I remember looking at Marianne thinking, okay, this is just getting 250 00:17:23,700 --> 00:17:25,560 crazier as time goes on. 251 00:17:27,030 --> 00:17:31,530 Next on American Greed, seeing red on the red carpet. 252 00:17:31,830 --> 00:17:34,830 You keep telling yourself, no, this isn't really happening. 253 00:17:35,170 --> 00:17:38,530 And you know, as an adult, you're thinking, oh, yeah, it is. 254 00:17:50,830 --> 00:17:53,310 Saxophonist Guy Johnson is in a limousine. 255 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:56,060 on his way to the 2012 Grammy Awards. 256 00:17:57,140 --> 00:18:01,280 He's joined by donors who have won Grammy tickets he's offered at charity 257 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:05,280 auctions. And they're all headed towards the Staples Center. 258 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:12,840 We pull up to where the limousines are going in for the red carpet, and he 259 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:15,900 instructs the driver to go around the other side of the building. 260 00:18:16,670 --> 00:18:21,490 Rather than taking their place in the official line, she says they park in a 261 00:18:21,490 --> 00:18:26,210 across the street and then Johnson sneaks the group in through a side door. 262 00:18:27,370 --> 00:18:31,990 He knew the security guard. He talked to him. The guy opened the door. The 263 00:18:31,990 --> 00:18:35,830 gentleman at the tent, it's actually a tent, it's not a door. 264 00:18:36,330 --> 00:18:38,110 He says, you guys have your tickets? 265 00:18:38,330 --> 00:18:39,330 Here's our tickets. 266 00:18:39,470 --> 00:18:40,470 They walked in. 267 00:18:43,020 --> 00:18:48,520 And once we got in, we realized we were further down the red carpet. We were not 268 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:51,620 in the actual beginning of the red carpet. So in essence, he was sneaking 269 00:18:51,620 --> 00:18:52,920 the corner side door. 270 00:18:53,360 --> 00:18:57,600 I'm trying to figure out how could I sneak on to the red carpet when I have 271 00:18:57,600 --> 00:18:58,600 tickets in my hand? 272 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:02,460 How could I do that? 273 00:19:06,190 --> 00:19:11,790 Well, the Recording Academy reserves the red carpet for nominees, honorees, 274 00:19:11,790 --> 00:19:13,070 presenters and performers. 275 00:19:13,410 --> 00:19:16,330 And Ski Johnson isn't one of them. 276 00:19:16,550 --> 00:19:17,550 So we got in. 277 00:19:18,370 --> 00:19:21,550 We walked down the red carpet. 278 00:19:22,090 --> 00:19:26,170 You're seeing these famous people walk past you and everybody's coming out to 279 00:19:26,170 --> 00:19:29,450 talk to them. And then nobody was coming out to interview Ski Johnson. 280 00:19:29,910 --> 00:19:32,530 And I remember saying to Miriam, well, that's odd. 281 00:19:33,370 --> 00:19:38,850 And then more and more when you realized that nobody was paying attention to 282 00:19:38,850 --> 00:19:41,630 him, you realize that, you know, he's just, he's a nobody. 283 00:19:42,050 --> 00:19:43,050 He's a nobody. 284 00:19:43,870 --> 00:19:48,130 And in that little world, he didn't pretend to be somebody. He just 285 00:19:48,130 --> 00:19:49,650 be the person on the sidelines. 286 00:19:50,470 --> 00:19:54,570 That is, until he reaches the final stretch of the red carpet. 287 00:19:55,390 --> 00:19:56,390 What's up, y 'all? 288 00:19:56,870 --> 00:19:58,010 Hey, what's going on? 289 00:19:58,270 --> 00:19:59,270 Y 'all feeling good? 290 00:19:59,350 --> 00:20:01,250 Y 'all want some jazz? Yeah! 291 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:30,580 After Ski Johnson's impromptu performance, the group leaves the red 292 00:20:30,580 --> 00:20:32,240 head toward the event entrance. 293 00:20:33,060 --> 00:20:39,580 So we went to the first entrance, and he started talking about didn't have our 294 00:20:39,580 --> 00:20:44,120 tickets, his PR person hadn't shown up with the tickets. 295 00:20:44,460 --> 00:20:49,700 She says Ski Johnson tries the same story at a second entrance, and then a 296 00:20:49,700 --> 00:20:54,430 third. You keep telling yourself, like, no, this isn't really happening. 297 00:20:54,890 --> 00:20:58,130 And you know, as an adult, you're thinking, oh, yeah, it is. 298 00:20:58,350 --> 00:21:01,370 But you keep hoping, like, you're going to give somebody the benefit of the 299 00:21:01,370 --> 00:21:04,410 doubt because maybe it is crazy, all these things you hear about L .A., and 300 00:21:04,410 --> 00:21:09,750 maybe there was a snappy with the tickets, but then you realize, no, no, 301 00:21:09,750 --> 00:21:10,750 a big con. 302 00:21:11,170 --> 00:21:16,730 She remembers the call they'd overheard back at the hotel and realizes she and 303 00:21:16,730 --> 00:21:19,370 Mary Ann are not getting into the Grammy Awards. 304 00:21:20,120 --> 00:21:25,320 And at this point, Marion and I realized that this whole thing, what we had 305 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:28,700 heard on the phone and him trying to secure tickets was, in fact, he didn't 306 00:21:28,700 --> 00:21:29,699 our tickets. 307 00:21:29,700 --> 00:21:32,480 We just said, we've had enough. Just get away from us. 308 00:21:32,780 --> 00:21:34,980 So what happened to the women's tickets? 309 00:21:35,940 --> 00:21:37,920 Well, we did have tickets. 310 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:44,720 And what happened was that we had to, the publicist that we were working with 311 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:46,800 had to bring the tickets over. 312 00:21:47,390 --> 00:21:54,350 But I think she was in a really bad mood because things were just, 313 00:21:54,430 --> 00:21:59,710 when we got the call that she wasn't going to come, we had to turn, we had 314 00:21:59,710 --> 00:22:05,270 mean, this was earlier, but we had to get to her at the last minute. So we 315 00:22:05,270 --> 00:22:09,490 literally running to get to the red carpet because the red carpet was going 316 00:22:09,490 --> 00:22:10,490 close. 317 00:22:10,810 --> 00:22:14,850 And I, of course, that was important for me to be on the red carpet and promote. 318 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:22,800 The next morning, while checking out, Charbonneau says she discovers she has 319 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:24,100 been stuck with the bill. 320 00:22:25,160 --> 00:22:26,700 It's the final insult. 321 00:22:27,220 --> 00:22:33,080 Mr. Johnson had never given them his credit card, so I was so upset with him. 322 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:37,860 There was no way I was going to then go hunt Mr. Johnson down. I just figured at 323 00:22:37,860 --> 00:22:41,440 this stage of the game, so much had happened. I would just deal with this 324 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:42,500 I got back to Florida. 325 00:22:43,300 --> 00:22:47,760 Johnson says he thought the Hospice Foundation had taken care of 326 00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:52,940 hotel stay and that he would later reimburse the nonprofit from his half of 327 00:22:52,940 --> 00:22:53,940 Jazz for Life money. 328 00:22:54,340 --> 00:22:58,960 In fact, I didn't even know she had paid for it. 329 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:03,620 After checking out, she has one last encounter with Ski Johnson. 330 00:23:04,060 --> 00:23:05,240 I was getting in the elevator. 331 00:23:05,500 --> 00:23:07,180 Ski Johnson was coming off. 332 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:13,560 And he started to tell me how sorry I was. It was a big mix -up, and I 333 00:23:13,740 --> 00:23:17,940 I was probably not proud of it, but I was very rude and told him if he didn't 334 00:23:17,940 --> 00:23:19,600 get away from me, I was going to punch him right in the nose. 335 00:23:20,220 --> 00:23:21,820 At this point, I just wanted to get home. 336 00:23:22,500 --> 00:23:26,640 So Marianne and I just packed up our stuff and left, left L .A. 337 00:23:28,940 --> 00:23:34,380 After her nightmare trip, Hospice of Palm Beach County Foundation apologizes 338 00:23:34,380 --> 00:23:39,120 Charbonneau, returns her donation, and reimburses her for the hotel. 339 00:23:40,540 --> 00:23:46,560 Next on American Greed, a misstep in Montana lands Key Johnson and Jazz for 340 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:48,200 under federal investigation. 341 00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:52,780 So even though this is an account set up specifically for Jazz for Life 342 00:23:52,780 --> 00:23:55,780 Foundation, he's using it just as his own personal account. 343 00:24:08,110 --> 00:24:13,950 Three months after the 2012 Grammy Awards, Ski Johnson contacts Big 344 00:24:13,950 --> 00:24:18,530 Sisters in Bozeman, Montana, and offers to appear at their Celebrity Golf 345 00:24:18,530 --> 00:24:21,890 fundraiser at the luxurious Big Sky Resort. 346 00:24:22,470 --> 00:24:27,470 Johnson is still posing as Kevin Wright, but according to investigators, Kevin 347 00:24:27,470 --> 00:24:33,050 Wright has transformed into a Sony Records representative, who is also 348 00:24:33,050 --> 00:24:37,350 agent. He also represented that he had Grammy tickets that he would be willing 349 00:24:37,350 --> 00:24:42,120 to Provide to the charity to auction off and agreed with them that they would 350 00:24:42,120 --> 00:24:43,120 split the proceeds. Mr. 351 00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:47,780 Johnson's charity called Jazz for Life would receive half of the proceeds. 352 00:24:48,260 --> 00:24:52,260 And who wouldn't want to auction off Grammy tickets and go to the Grammys? 353 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:56,180 They paid for his expenses to come to Montana. 354 00:24:56,860 --> 00:25:01,180 The resort would then pay for him and his manager to stay at the Big Scatter 355 00:25:01,180 --> 00:25:06,740 Resort. Green fees, meals, cocktail events, other expenses that would 356 00:25:06,740 --> 00:25:08,080 extended to a celebrity. 357 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:12,100 Ski Johnson arrives, saxophone in tow. 358 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:15,840 What he doesn't bring, though, are those Grammy tickets. 359 00:25:17,900 --> 00:25:22,320 But they auctioned the tickets off anyway, and they sold for a few thousand 360 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:23,320 dollars. 361 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:25,520 Fast forward to after the event. 362 00:25:26,170 --> 00:25:31,070 The tickets never came, as promised. He provided various excuses, and they 363 00:25:31,070 --> 00:25:32,070 became suspicious. 364 00:25:32,530 --> 00:25:37,870 Big Brothers Big Sisters reaches out to the FBI, and Special Agent Greg Rice 365 00:25:37,870 --> 00:25:38,870 takes the case. 366 00:25:39,150 --> 00:25:44,270 He partners with Special Agent Brett Siemens, a criminal investigator for the 367 00:25:44,270 --> 00:25:45,270 Internal Revenue Service. 368 00:25:45,770 --> 00:25:48,050 The agents say a pattern quickly emerges. 369 00:25:48,620 --> 00:25:53,640 in which Johnson searches online for upcoming charity events around the 370 00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:55,640 and cold calls their organizers. 371 00:25:56,160 --> 00:26:01,840 Then, using an alias, he poses as someone who represents celebrities who 372 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:03,500 interested in attending their events. 373 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:07,500 They say in Seattle, it's Michael Douglas and James Earl Jones. 374 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:13,600 Other times, it's Halle Berry and Queen Latifah. Later on, he would report to 375 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:14,599 the charity event. 376 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:18,040 These celebrities were no longer able to attend, but Key Johnson was able to. 377 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:22,880 Yes, superstar saxophonist Key Johnson would come through. 378 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:28,160 The investigation discovers alleged victims from coast to coast. 379 00:26:29,460 --> 00:26:34,440 Hospice of Palm Beach County, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Bozeman, Montana. 380 00:26:35,160 --> 00:26:39,100 There was the Hilton Head charity golf event. There was a children's burn 381 00:26:39,100 --> 00:26:40,460 charity in the Midwest. 382 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:45,600 There was organizations that were raising money for the Shriners, for 383 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:48,200 schools, homeless pets, veterans. 384 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:54,500 And yet, investigators learn there are some kernels of truth. Well, at least 385 00:26:54,500 --> 00:26:57,620 half -truth, in Ski Johnson's many stories. 386 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:03,140 For starters, Ski Johnson is a recording artist who's released several records. 387 00:27:03,820 --> 00:27:08,740 His album, New Beginnings, hits number one on Billboard's top contemporary jazz 388 00:27:08,740 --> 00:27:11,080 album chart in July 2009. 389 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:15,780 And Johnson is a member of the Recording Academy, but he's never been nominated 390 00:27:15,780 --> 00:27:20,460 for a Grammy. They have no record of him ever being a Grammy -nominated artist. 391 00:27:20,820 --> 00:27:24,320 And they provided a letter to us that essentially outlines that fact. 392 00:27:24,740 --> 00:27:28,340 That letter was mailed to Johnson back in 2012. 393 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:32,420 And in it, it just says, you're not allowed to use that term. 394 00:27:32,990 --> 00:27:35,310 And you're not a Grammy -nominated artist. 395 00:27:35,930 --> 00:27:40,150 Johnson acknowledges that he continued to bill himself as Grammy -nominated, 396 00:27:40,310 --> 00:27:43,530 despite having received the cease and desist letter. 397 00:27:43,890 --> 00:27:47,850 But he says he has proof he's not the one who's lying. 398 00:27:48,490 --> 00:27:52,390 These official Grammy ballots that say I'm a Grammy nominee. 399 00:27:53,050 --> 00:27:59,930 It says, I am pleased to enclose your 55th annual Grammy Awards nominating 400 00:27:59,930 --> 00:28:00,930 ballot. 401 00:28:01,610 --> 00:28:06,870 The entry list for selection of this year's nomination is available online. 402 00:28:07,650 --> 00:28:12,570 So I go online, and clearly, whose name is this? Key Johnson. 403 00:28:13,250 --> 00:28:17,770 The list does have Johnson's name on it because it's an entry list. 404 00:28:18,010 --> 00:28:21,370 It has the name of every artist who's seeking a nomination. 405 00:28:22,250 --> 00:28:28,410 So when I got the letter from this attorney in 2012, I argued with him. I 406 00:28:28,450 --> 00:28:30,830 you can't tell someone they're nominated. 407 00:28:31,929 --> 00:28:34,850 and then say, no, no, no, no, no. 408 00:28:35,270 --> 00:28:36,670 What you're reading is not, no, no. 409 00:28:36,890 --> 00:28:39,250 It doesn't mean that, like, you're an idiot. 410 00:28:40,070 --> 00:28:41,070 That's a con. 411 00:28:42,130 --> 00:28:43,250 It's bigger than me. 412 00:28:43,650 --> 00:28:47,150 It's bigger than all of us. It's bigger than American Greed, this situation. 413 00:28:48,410 --> 00:28:53,770 So at what point does behavior move from being questionable to criminal? 414 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:59,080 It's certainly not a crime to promote oneself, but it is a crime to make 415 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:03,300 misrepresentations in an attempt to defraud anybody of money or property. 416 00:29:03,300 --> 00:29:06,720 that's what the defendant did in this case. He defrauded various charitable 417 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:11,120 organizations out of money that it would not have spent had they known Ski 418 00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:12,260 Johnson's true identity. 419 00:29:13,140 --> 00:29:18,340 The feds maintain Donald Ski Johnson has swindled more than $70 ,000 from at 420 00:29:18,340 --> 00:29:22,300 least 15 organizations and 11 individual donors. 421 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:29,660 As for Ski Johnson's cause, the Jazz for Life Foundation... Jazz for Life is not 422 00:29:29,660 --> 00:29:30,660 a registered charity. 423 00:29:30,840 --> 00:29:35,460 It only appears as a name on a website and nothing more. 424 00:29:36,060 --> 00:29:39,920 So even though this is an account set up specifically for Jazz for Life 425 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:42,960 Foundation, he's using it just as his own personal account. 426 00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:47,260 The FBI did a forensic analysis and discovered that... 427 00:29:48,430 --> 00:29:54,570 Of approximately $150 ,000 that he received into that account over the 428 00:29:54,570 --> 00:29:58,850 three years, he spent approximately $20 on charity. 429 00:29:59,550 --> 00:30:04,830 But Johnson says they're missing the point by misunderstanding the mission of 430 00:30:04,830 --> 00:30:06,070 the Jazz for Life Foundation. 431 00:30:06,570 --> 00:30:13,030 Jazz for Life, I always said, was a for -profit foundation. Never a charity. We 432 00:30:13,030 --> 00:30:16,110 wanted to be an organization, a for -profit. 433 00:30:17,320 --> 00:30:23,540 Foundation that works with other charities in supporting them. By working 434 00:30:23,540 --> 00:30:24,540 them, we're supporting them. 435 00:30:25,180 --> 00:30:31,020 If I'm donating my time and my craft, I don't have to pay for airfare and hotel. 436 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:33,180 So they would fly me out. 437 00:30:33,840 --> 00:30:35,800 I would participate in the tournament. 438 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:37,040 I would perform. 439 00:30:38,520 --> 00:30:40,300 There's a worth to my performance. 440 00:30:41,060 --> 00:30:42,180 To belittle. 441 00:30:42,780 --> 00:30:44,060 Like, what I'm contributing. 442 00:30:44,300 --> 00:30:50,600 To do that to any artist is just... It's bad. 443 00:30:50,980 --> 00:30:57,560 And yet, on Johnson's website, as recently as 2014, there is a donation 444 00:30:57,560 --> 00:31:00,360 button on the Jazz for Life page. 445 00:31:01,800 --> 00:31:07,740 Next on American Greed, a return trip to the Grammy and a showdown with the Fed. 446 00:31:08,620 --> 00:31:12,500 He said, this is what's coming to you. You're going to be charged with wire 447 00:31:12,500 --> 00:31:13,500 fraud, 448 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:16,280 mail fraud, and tax evasion. 449 00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:29,580 Ski Johnson is planning a trip to L .A. to attend the 2013 Grammy Awards with 450 00:31:29,580 --> 00:31:32,380 another winner of Jazz for Life Grammy tickets. 451 00:31:32,760 --> 00:31:37,140 The gentleman who won the tickets called me and said, Ski. 452 00:31:37,930 --> 00:31:39,330 I'm going to give it to a friend of mine. 453 00:31:40,110 --> 00:31:42,290 And just give them the tickets when you get out there. 454 00:31:43,130 --> 00:31:45,310 Ski hops on a plane to L .A. 455 00:31:45,630 --> 00:31:51,810 without realizing the FBI is working with the Recording Academy to ruin his 456 00:31:51,810 --> 00:31:52,810 carpet moment. 457 00:31:52,910 --> 00:31:59,150 In February 2013, we contacted the Recording Academy and they were very 458 00:31:59,150 --> 00:32:01,670 help us and assist us with the investigation. 459 00:32:02,630 --> 00:32:05,570 The happy couple taking the place of the auction winner. 460 00:32:06,170 --> 00:32:08,050 are not who they seem to be. 461 00:32:08,290 --> 00:32:13,710 We had undercover FBI agents meet with him and we were able to observe Mr. 462 00:32:13,810 --> 00:32:19,250 Johnson entering the venue in an unauthorized manner. 463 00:32:20,330 --> 00:32:26,090 Ski Johnson still has no idea he's under investigation, let alone that he's been 464 00:32:26,090 --> 00:32:27,490 hosting undercover agents. 465 00:32:28,030 --> 00:32:32,730 The investigation continues from 2013 to 2014. 466 00:32:33,490 --> 00:32:35,310 He continually was... 467 00:32:35,530 --> 00:32:39,890 reaching out to charities almost to the point that we couldn't keep up with him 468 00:32:39,890 --> 00:32:42,110 to be one step ahead. 469 00:32:43,630 --> 00:32:49,250 In 2014, Ski Johnson approaches the NFL Players Association in Washington, D 470 00:32:49,250 --> 00:32:52,970 .C., this time using the manager alias Richard Sims. 471 00:32:53,730 --> 00:33:00,130 He wanted to appear at their event and ask them to pay his way, essentially, or 472 00:33:00,130 --> 00:33:02,170 wanted to benefit financially from it. 473 00:33:02,460 --> 00:33:06,920 Agent Rice gets wind of this and asks the association for help. 474 00:33:07,140 --> 00:33:12,840 They agreed to assist us in our investigation and, at our request, 475 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:14,500 Johnson to come to a meeting. 476 00:33:15,840 --> 00:33:20,700 Agents Rice and Siemens secretly listen in while Johnson meets with the 477 00:33:20,700 --> 00:33:23,780 association representatives in April 2014. 478 00:33:24,980 --> 00:33:28,620 So I go into Rome, sit down, and they started... 479 00:33:28,990 --> 00:33:33,330 They started talking, talking to Hollywood. We want to have Ski, by the 480 00:33:33,570 --> 00:33:35,170 Can we get Queen Latifah? 481 00:33:35,390 --> 00:33:40,990 You know, you guys do represent her, do you? I said, I don't represent her. 482 00:33:41,010 --> 00:33:42,590 She's a friend of mine. I can call her. 483 00:33:43,570 --> 00:33:48,950 Johnson answers a few more questions, but senses something is off and abruptly 484 00:33:48,950 --> 00:33:50,090 leaves the meeting. 485 00:33:50,730 --> 00:33:53,730 I'm announcing to me, the FBI is saying, he's on the move, he's on the move, 486 00:33:53,790 --> 00:33:54,790 he's on the move. 487 00:33:55,639 --> 00:33:59,700 Special Agents Rison Seamans follow him to a cafe next door. 488 00:34:00,800 --> 00:34:04,160 We introduced ourselves, told him we'd like to talk to him. 489 00:34:04,460 --> 00:34:08,560 He seemed a little confused at first, but said he was willing to come up and 490 00:34:08,560 --> 00:34:09,560 interviewed. 491 00:34:09,860 --> 00:34:12,500 They're asking me about nominations. 492 00:34:13,219 --> 00:34:17,659 I said, they said, they told me he was considered, but I think I'm nominated. 493 00:34:17,820 --> 00:34:18,820 You can't do that. 494 00:34:20,139 --> 00:34:23,280 So I asked him about Chats for Life, and... 495 00:34:24,170 --> 00:34:30,909 When an FBI agent approaches anyone, they know the idea is to catch them off 496 00:34:30,909 --> 00:34:31,909 guard. 497 00:34:32,250 --> 00:34:34,909 They know that. They're trained to do that. 498 00:34:35,429 --> 00:34:39,710 We talked to him and he confessed to a few things, that he was using the bank 499 00:34:39,710 --> 00:34:45,889 account for his own purposes, that he was using the aliases in an attempt to 500 00:34:45,889 --> 00:34:48,370 promote his music business, I guess. 501 00:34:48,989 --> 00:34:54,090 When I figured out what he was trying to do, I said, look, I'm leaving. 502 00:34:55,290 --> 00:35:02,130 And the nice guy, the two nice guys they were trying to be, he took this letter 503 00:35:02,130 --> 00:35:04,950 and he slammed it in my chest. 504 00:35:06,010 --> 00:35:09,870 He says, you're going to be charged. This is what's coming to you. You're 505 00:35:09,870 --> 00:35:14,890 to be charged with fire fraud, mail fraud and tax evasion. 506 00:35:16,890 --> 00:35:17,890 I left. 507 00:35:19,570 --> 00:35:21,150 The case moves forward. 508 00:35:21,610 --> 00:35:27,750 And in November 2014, Ski Johnson is indicted on one count of wire fraud. 509 00:35:30,030 --> 00:35:36,270 Next, will even the conviction stop Ski Johnson from announcing a new project? 510 00:35:36,690 --> 00:35:39,770 The defendant was not remorseful for what he was doing. In fact, he was 511 00:35:39,770 --> 00:35:40,910 attempting to raise more money. 512 00:35:41,590 --> 00:35:45,490 How's this feeling? I asked him, how's this feeling? 513 00:35:56,780 --> 00:36:03,120 In July 2015, jazz saxophonist Key Johnson faces one count of felony wire 514 00:36:03,480 --> 00:36:07,920 accused of a scheme to defraud in Montana and elsewhere. 515 00:36:09,780 --> 00:36:13,400 Witnesses have gathered from across the country, ready to share their 516 00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:15,160 experiences with the jury. 517 00:36:15,560 --> 00:36:21,820 I went out to Montana to testify because I was hoping at some point someone 518 00:36:21,820 --> 00:36:24,060 is going to stop him. 519 00:36:24,300 --> 00:36:25,300 I figured I would. 520 00:36:25,390 --> 00:36:29,950 get behind what the FBI was doing and hopefully teach this guy a lesson and 521 00:36:29,950 --> 00:36:31,810 him behind bars so he couldn't hurt other people anymore. 522 00:36:32,270 --> 00:36:36,610 There was a gal from Sony Music and somebody there representing the Grammy 523 00:36:36,610 --> 00:36:41,250 Awards and their attorneys when we were all sitting outside waiting to go in to 524 00:36:41,250 --> 00:36:42,350 testify if possible. 525 00:36:43,370 --> 00:36:47,850 The wire fraud charge centers on a July 17, 2012 email. 526 00:36:48,540 --> 00:36:52,440 sent from Johnson on the East Coast to Big Brothers Big Sisters in Montana, 527 00:36:52,720 --> 00:36:55,600 which is considered an interstate wire communication. 528 00:36:56,780 --> 00:37:00,280 In it, Johnson assumes the Kevin Wright identity. 529 00:37:00,940 --> 00:37:06,120 What the government wanted to do, they wanted to take the one email that I sent 530 00:37:06,120 --> 00:37:12,820 to Montana, and everywhere else I've been that flew me 531 00:37:12,820 --> 00:37:16,120 and put me in a hotel, billed me for all that. 532 00:37:16,560 --> 00:37:20,900 So under the one wire fraud charge that I got, they wanted to put everything 533 00:37:20,900 --> 00:37:21,899 under there. 534 00:37:21,900 --> 00:37:27,140 Just before the trial begins, the judge rules he'll only hear testimony directly 535 00:37:27,140 --> 00:37:31,160 concerning the 2012 Big Brothers Big Sisters event. 536 00:37:31,520 --> 00:37:36,420 Andy Caruso and Beth Charbonneau are not permitted to testify at trial. 537 00:37:36,720 --> 00:37:39,620 But the Grammys rep does get to speak. 538 00:37:40,460 --> 00:37:45,180 One of the witnesses at trial was a representative of the Recording Academy 539 00:37:45,180 --> 00:37:49,660 made clear that these tickets were not able to be resold. And in fact, if the 540 00:37:49,660 --> 00:37:55,740 Recording Academy became aware that the individual had purchased the tickets or 541 00:37:55,740 --> 00:37:59,200 even if they were auctioned at a charity event, they would not have been able to 542 00:37:59,200 --> 00:38:00,800 get into the Grammy Award. 543 00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:05,420 The jury also hears from members of Big Brothers Big Sisters. 544 00:38:06,010 --> 00:38:10,190 who testified that Johnson impersonated his own manager, showed up at their 545 00:38:10,190 --> 00:38:14,170 event without Grammy tickets, and lied about being a Grammy nominee. 546 00:38:14,990 --> 00:38:19,690 And they were operating under the belief that he would be a quality musician. 547 00:38:20,170 --> 00:38:25,290 They felt that the music was not to the level of what they expected from a 548 00:38:25,290 --> 00:38:26,290 Grammy -nominated artist. 549 00:38:26,770 --> 00:38:29,270 The trial lasts just two days. 550 00:38:29,610 --> 00:38:34,810 And on July 28, 2015, the jury convicts Donald Mitchell Johnson. 551 00:38:35,340 --> 00:38:38,500 better known as Ski Johnson of Felony Wire Frog. 552 00:38:39,540 --> 00:38:41,500 Sentencing is scheduled for November. 553 00:38:42,120 --> 00:38:47,540 While he waits, Ski Johnson releases a trailer online to raise money for his 554 00:38:47,540 --> 00:38:50,380 latest endeavor, a tell -all documentary. 555 00:38:53,540 --> 00:38:54,680 Ski Johnson. 556 00:38:55,100 --> 00:38:55,979 This show. 557 00:38:55,980 --> 00:39:00,840 The self -named bad boy of jazz launched the foundation Jazz for Life. In that 558 00:39:00,840 --> 00:39:02,740 trailer, he... 559 00:39:03,780 --> 00:39:06,480 touted his conviction and himself as controversial. 560 00:39:07,260 --> 00:39:11,640 So based upon that, the government's position at that thing was that the 561 00:39:11,640 --> 00:39:15,080 defendant was not remorseful for what he was doing. In fact, he was attempting 562 00:39:15,080 --> 00:39:16,080 to raise more money. 563 00:39:16,920 --> 00:39:18,840 Okay. How's that feeling? 564 00:39:19,140 --> 00:39:21,740 I asked him, how's that feeling? 565 00:39:22,320 --> 00:39:26,160 What it is, they don't respect me as an artist. 566 00:39:26,560 --> 00:39:32,780 They think anything I do should be free. And the minute I ask for a dollar, It's 567 00:39:32,780 --> 00:39:33,780 a scam. 568 00:39:33,980 --> 00:39:38,600 I have to earn for performing and going to perform. 569 00:39:38,980 --> 00:39:42,800 And if I do a documentary, I should charge for it. 570 00:39:44,260 --> 00:39:45,980 It's a movie. It's art. 571 00:39:47,340 --> 00:39:53,100 At the November 2015 sentencing in Butte, the prosecution requests that 572 00:39:53,100 --> 00:39:59,100 be ordered to pay back $76 ,000, which encompasses money from the Seattle 573 00:39:59,500 --> 00:40:04,160 Beth Charbonneau's trip to the Grammys, Big Brothers and Big Sisters in Bozeman, 574 00:40:04,220 --> 00:40:07,300 Montana, and more than 20 other instances. 575 00:40:07,820 --> 00:40:11,880 But the judge rules he's only on the hook for $5 ,648. 576 00:40:12,640 --> 00:40:18,260 They also asked for Johnson to serve 16 months in prison, to be followed by 577 00:40:18,260 --> 00:40:19,300 three years probation. 578 00:40:19,740 --> 00:40:25,580 But instead, Ski Johnson gets five years probation and six months house arrest. 579 00:40:26,060 --> 00:40:28,760 I was a bit surprised with the leniency of the sentence. 580 00:40:29,370 --> 00:40:31,910 Unfortunately, I think he just got a slap on the wrist. 581 00:40:32,850 --> 00:40:34,270 I think it's wrong. 582 00:40:34,890 --> 00:40:40,870 I believe wholeheartedly that something else should have happened. 583 00:40:41,330 --> 00:40:43,170 In April 2017, 584 00:40:43,890 --> 00:40:46,930 a federal appeals court upholds Johnson's conviction. 585 00:40:47,290 --> 00:40:52,190 The court also rules that restitution should be reconsidered, taking into 586 00:40:52,190 --> 00:40:54,630 account victims outside of Montana. 587 00:40:55,310 --> 00:40:57,710 Ski Johnson now notes online. 588 00:40:58,380 --> 00:41:02,180 that his Jazz for Life Foundation is a for -profit corporation. 589 00:41:15,440 --> 00:41:20,560 Johnson continues to perform in the Washington, D .C. metro area. 590 00:41:20,800 --> 00:41:26,660 He plays Champagne Wednesdays at a suburban hotel, and Jazz and Beer Date 591 00:41:26,660 --> 00:41:28,920 Nights. at a Gordon Biersch restaurant. 592 00:41:29,660 --> 00:41:34,160 He is planning an autumn 2017 release for his film. 593 00:41:34,860 --> 00:41:38,200 It's about telling the truth and telling the whole story, and that's what my 594 00:41:38,200 --> 00:41:40,800 documentary is. It's going to tell the whole story. 595 00:41:41,540 --> 00:41:46,940 But Andy Caruso has no interest in hearing another story from Ski Johnson. 596 00:41:47,640 --> 00:41:51,660 Part of the premise of this documentary was how he's overcome challenges in his 597 00:41:51,660 --> 00:41:57,120 life. And one of those challenges was overcoming wrongful accusations from the 598 00:41:57,120 --> 00:42:00,800 FBI and the IRS. The big bad government was trying to come get him. You know 599 00:42:00,800 --> 00:42:05,060 what? Quit playing the victim here because, like, everybody else is the 600 00:42:05,060 --> 00:42:07,620 around you in your life, you know, not you. 601 00:42:07,820 --> 00:42:09,500 So it's time to change your perspective. 602 00:42:10,040 --> 00:42:14,340 Next. And money is no object. The limit of the credit card was the only thing 603 00:42:14,340 --> 00:42:16,660 that stopped them. The object is to get more. 604 00:42:17,080 --> 00:42:21,300 It was just boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. Five rounds from the block 45. 605 00:42:21,300 --> 00:42:22,178 the dark side. 606 00:42:22,180 --> 00:42:24,460 Murphy Reed next on CNBC. 607 00:42:25,160 --> 00:42:29,080 The early bird gets the worm. And the corner office too.