 |
| Andrew Garson |
Former PR executive Andrew Garson was arrested and charged with wire fraud in connection with multimillion-dollar schemes to defraud two PR firms where he worked and for a subsequent scheme to obtain New York State unemployment benefits to which he was not entitled, according to a suit filed today by Geoffrey Berman, US attorney for the Southern District of New York.
The suit does not identify the firms that employed Garson, but the allegations cover the period from 2013 to 2018 when he worked as executive VP at MWWPR and VP at Catalyst PR, a unit of WME|IMG (now known as Endeavor).
“As a PR executive, Andrew Garson’s expertise in garnering positive attention for his clients is well-known, even earning him a spot on the "40 Under 40” in a popular industry magazine,” Berman said in a release. “But behind the scenes, Garson allegedly schemed to steal from his employers, eventually costing them over $2M in losses. Andrew Garson has likely generated his own (negative) publicity, and now faces the possibility of serious jail time in federal prison.”
Philip Bartlett, inspector-in-charge at the US Postal Inspection Service, added: “As alleged, Mr. Garson’s arrogance and disrespect for his employers and the rule of law was on full display in this case. He allegedly lied and stole from his employers to feed his greed and fund his personal endeavors. Mr. Garson may have plenty of time to utilize his keen PR skills if convicted of the charges.”
Garson is charged with two counts of wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Click here to read the release from the Southern District of New York.
4media group completes its acquisition of Family Features Editorial Syndicate... Illumination PR, which represents lifestyle brands, influencers and celebrities, launches DR Media Group... EAG Advertising and Marketing acquires pay-for-performance firm INK inc. Public Relations. 
LLYC launches Signs of Pride, a campaign that revives the original protest banners of the first Pride marches... The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry forms the Public Relations and Digital Marketing Working Group... Circle of One Marketing, a Miami-based, minority-owned marketing agency, is named official agency of record for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami. 
Vogel Group, a DC-headquartered government affairs and consulting firm, forms a strategic partnership with Montreal-based public affairs firm Boléro Stratégies... Matter Communications launches project-based offerings for B2C companies looking to increase brand awareness and visibility... Tucker/Hall, a Tampa-based PR and public affairs firm, opens a new office in Orlando. 
Why investing in public relations is ultimately about building bridges in a connected world.
Edelman is laying off 330 people (5.3 percent of its workforce) to cope with an anticipated eight percent shortfall in 2024 US revenues, and client demand for one-stop shopping for speciality services.
