Former T.J. Martell GM Charged With Embezzling Nearly $4 Million From Foundation

variety.com:

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorMelissa Goodwin, a former executive vice president and general manager of the T.J. Martell Foundation, one of the music industry’s biggest and longest-running charities, has been charged with wire fraud in a scheme to defraud the organization out of $3.7 million, according to an announcement from the Department of Justice.The DOJ alleged that Goodwin, 55, used the foundation’s money to purchase expensive and rare alcohols, plane tickets, hotel stays and as part of a multimillion dollar ticketing scheme.The T.J.

Martell Foundation, which specialized in cancer research, was founded by veteran music executive Tony Martell in honor of his son, who died of the disease in 1975.

Over the years it has raised more than $280 million through donations and an annual auction; Martell passed away in 2016 at the age of 90.

According to the charging document, between July 2018 and June 2020, Goodwin devised a scheme to defraud the T.J. Martell Foundation by purchasing approximately $3.96 million in tickets from online ticket vendors for concerts by Lady Gaga, Celine Dion and others and Super Bowl LIV, using a Foundation credit card she had obtained in her own name.