The con man accused of derailing the planned $14 million Broadway production of “Rebecca: The Musical” was hit with additional charges in Manhattan federal court today as a judge ordered that he continue to be held without bail.
Mark Hotton, 46, was arrested Monday at his home on Long Island, with federal prosecutors saying he’s been staging schemes both on and off the Great White Way — and even tried to run down one victim with his car.
“The government views the defendant as a significant flight risk and a considerable threat to the community,” assistant US attorney Edward Diskant told the judge today in arguing that bail not be offered.
Hotton, a former stockbroker who lives in West Islip, was indicted Monday on wire fraud and money laundering charges for allegedly using his electrical contracting companies to bilk other companies out of over $3.7 million, prosecutors said.
One of the Manhattan federal court charges is for fabricating investors in order to earn commissions from the producers of “Rebecca,” who were led to believe he had secured the additonmal $4 million they needed to stage the production. The other is for a Connecticut real estate scheme that allegedly netted Hotton $750,000, prosecutors said.
“The accusations are flying all over the place but I don’t find the evidence compelling,” defense attorney Gerald Shargel said outside court.