British-Pakistani launches legal claim for £300,000 recovery

LONDON: A British Pakistani entertainment producer on the brink of financial ruin has launched a legal claim for the recovery £300,000 from a family-owned Pakistani company based in Qatar in the name of celebrated musicians Drake and Travis Scott for a music concert at Dubai Coca Cola Arena on May 29, 2021, which never took place.

The claim has been launched by Birmingham-based Pervaiz Akhtar against the Doha-based Quantum Sports & Media World (QSM World) and its directors Dawood Khan (Chairman & CEO of QSM World/Abalena Capital Limited), Chief Operation Officer (COO) Hossama Dawood Khan, co-founder and chief executive officer Suleyman Dawood Khan, COO Mehreen Dawood Khan and Vice President Naeem Khan.

Pervaiz Akhtar claims in his lawsuit that he now realises that there was no Drake (whose full name is Aubrey Drake Graham) and Scott concert planned in Dubai and that he was fraudulently convinced to bring money to QSM World in a fraud scheme by fellow Pakistanis as the company had no contract with the world-famous musicians or their management. He says in his legal claim that the publicity/investment material sent to the investors by QSM World’s Hossama Dawood Khan was a hoax.

Speaking to Geo and The News, Hossama Dawood Khan, who represents QSM World, confirmed receiving the money through Pervaiz Akhtar but claimed that his money was forfeited by Drake and Scott managements when the concert was cancelled. Representatives of both artists have said Hossama Dawood Khan’s claim is a complete lie, no money was seized as there was no agreement in place. Managers of both artists have said they are surprised to know that the QSM directors made money in their names, using fraudulent material.

Evidence shows that Hossama Dawood Khan and Naeem Khan presented Pervaiz Akhtar with a concert investment proposal for a mega event called “Rhythm” featuring celebrity rappers Drake and Travis Scott live in Dubai Coca Cola Arena on 29th May, 2021. Akhtar didn’t invest his money but convinced Ranee Productions Limited from Kenya as an investor and partner for the Dubai concert with Drake and Scott.

On the guarantees provided by Hossama Dawood Khan and Pervaiz Akhtar, Kenya’s leading Asian entertainment and showbiz promoter Rani Jamal transferred $250,000 to QSM World’s Qatar account towards the concert.

Once the money was transferred to Quantum Sports & Media World’s Doha Bank Account, QSM World executives, according to Akhtar, started ignoring him and didn’t release the concert material that was supposed to be released soon after the money transfer.

It was within 14 days after receiving $250,000 that QSM World executive Hossama Dawood Khan told the investor that the concert had been postponed but provided no further details.

Hossama Dawood Khan initially responded to questions on email, phone and WhatsApp but stopped answering emails and phone calls when told that Drake and Scott’s management have said they have no idea about QSM World and denied signing any “Rhythm” concert. Akhtar said he had started a legal process in the hope of getting justice.