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Ex-‘Arsenio Hall’ Musical Director Arrested for Allegedly Embezzling $750K From Charity Concert

Funds that were supposed to go to a star-studded charity concert ended up going to a home and car payments, prosecutors said.

The former musical director for the United Nations and The Arsenio Hall Show was arrested last week on a felony wire-fraud charge after he allegedly embezzled $750,000 for a “charity concert for homeless children,” according to a Justice Department release. Drummer Robin DiMaggio, 47, was arrested on Dec. 7 after allegedly agreeing to help the Peace for You Peace for Me Foundation organize a charity concert in Bulgaria’s capital to “raise awareness of homeless and displaced children from conflict zones,” federal prosecutors said. DiMaggio is accused of telling the foundation he would be able to secure “several celebrities” to perform. The foundation’s financial sponsor sent DiMaggio $750,000, believing the money would go into an escrow account to pay for the celebrity performances, prosecutors said. Instead, DiMaggio allegedly put the money in his personal bank account and “used the money to make payments on cars, credit card debt and his living expenses.” The DOJ claims he also used $251,370 of the funds to buy a home for his ex-wife.

The day he put the funds in his personal account, DiMaggio recommended that the concert be pushed back one month and declined to give the sponsor back his $750,000, claiming he had already sent them to the performers, prosecutors said. When the sponsor sued, DiMaggio claimed “a third party” used his email account to contact the foundation and used most of the funds. He did admit to buying the house with the money, according to prosecutors. He later filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. DiMaggio faces up to 20 years in prison, with his next court date on Monday.