Jessie Alexander of Miami, Florida was arrested Tuesday after she allegedly defrauded area businesses out of thousands of dollars by offering to produce a TV special that never aired, news sources report. Alexander, 41, was booked into police custody on charges of fraud. She has since been released from jail on unspecified conditions. The press did not say whether Alexander has hired a criminal defense lawyer.
According to reports, Alexander is the former owner of three TV production companies that no longer appear to be active: Oscar Media Holdings, Oscar Entertainment, and Oscar Empire. An online resume says Alexander has worked with celebrities such as Johnny Depp and Jennifer Lopez on national television programs. In 2010, Alexander produced a South Florida television program called "The Best of South Florida," which highlighted a number of outstanding and popular local businesses and their CEOs.
Alexander allegedly approached multiple business owners in April, telling them that she was a Fox 29 TV producer and an affiliate of Love Personal Relations. The business owners apparently included a jeweler, a dentist, a realtor, and a spa owner. Alexander purportedly offered to feature the businesses on a Palm Beach County "Best of" program, similar to the one she aired in 2010. Alexander purportedly said the program would go live in May 2013. The business owners were also told that the producer would provide a DVD of the program, throw a special party, and submit a press release to 60,000 broadcasting stations. To participate, the business owners would have to pay $3,500, reports say.
As many as eight business owners fell for Alexander's scheme, sources say. Each of the businesses signed official-looking contracts that bore Love PR and FOX 29 Logos before filming short clips highlighting their companies, sources say. The short clips later appeared on YouTube, but apparently did not make it to live TV.