Aaron Sanderford
LINCOLN — Some Nebraska football fans will pay handsomely to ramp up the game day experience at Memorial Stadium. But they don’t like paying big bucks for the promise of getting great seats and rubbing elbows with a former Husker and then sitting solo, getting bad seats or no seats at all.
That’s why the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office last year sued entertainment group Nfluence and Kenneth Jason McCants of Memphis, Neb., alleging that more than 50 people paid $1,000 or more and did not receive the experience they were sold.
This week, Lancaster County District Judge Jodi Nelson ordered McCants, the owner of Nfluence and its only known representative, to pay $339,338.18 in fines, restitution and court costs for violating state consumer protection laws.
“For all 63 purchases, defendants failed to provide consumers with the Nebraska Game Day Experience as represented,” the judge wrote. “Defendants thus committed 63 separate violations of the Consumer Protection Act.”
Charities didn’t get money
The judge ruled that McCants and his group never gave the proceeds to charity as represented, adding 63 violations of Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices. It held McCants responsible, saying he had produced deceptive advertisements.
The group’s pitch, starting in 2022, was the opportunity to purchase luxury suite tickets, access to a former Husker football player and online validation from the player in the form of a social media photo or post.
For a time, the group got a promo boost from former Nebraska defensive lineman Adam Carriker. He later said online that he had been duped. Attorney General Mike Hilgers said such “scams” were tricking Nebraskans into buying fake tickets.
“Nebraska football plays an integral part in the lives of many Nebraskans,” Hilgers said in a statement. “This fraud preyed on Nebraskans’ love of the Cornhuskers and their passion to help others in need. We are grateful for the Court’s order, which will send a message to other would-be fraudsters. If any money is recovered, our office will prioritize returning funds to consumers harmed by the fraud.”
Much of the money was spent
Nelson ruled that the evidence “indicates that Kenneth Jason McCants was the sole owner and only authorized person on the bank account,” and that he spent sales proceeds on Disneyland tickets, purchases in Hawaii and streaming services.
McCants owes a combined $87,000 in restitution to 63 victims. And he will pay $2,000 apiece for each violation of the two consumer protection laws, totaling $252,000 in fines.
He did not appear in court for the May 23 hearing on the state’s motion for a default judgment. He did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday by phone or email.