nyfw fall 2019

Someone Impersonated Kanye West in a $1 Million NYFW Scam

Kanye West.
Kanye West. Photo: Roy Richlin/Getty Images

Hello and welcome to New York Fashion Week, where the big trend is, apparently, scamming.

On Friday, TMZ reported that someone had forged Kanye West’s signature on a contract with the designer Philipp Plein; the person ostensibly fronted that the rapper would perform at Plein’s NYFW fashion show for $1 million. The outlet did not name the person who had allegedly orchestrated the fraud, but hinted that they were “a former friend and associate of G.O.O.D. Music.” Moreover, the person reportedly requested that the Plein company wire a $900,000 advance to a bank account that has since been emptied.

TMZ also published a photo of what is an alleged forgery of West’s signature on a contract with Philipp Plein International; the signature looks nothing like the way West signs his name on fans’ sneakers.

West’s name first appeared on invitations sent out by Plein on Tuesday, February 5; Kim Kardashian West later tweeted a clarification about her husband’s appearance. A later invite did not mention West at all; the Cut has reached out to Plein for comment.

Someone Impersonated Kanye West in a $1 Million NYFW Scam