Jay Mazini, a young entrepreneur from New Jersey, rose to fame posting Instagram videos handing out cash to strangers alongside rap stars and doling out spiritual and financial advice.
His online influencer persona crumbled amid allegations of fraud and theft and his involvement in a brutal kidnapping. Customers said they didn’t get products or services they bought, while investors claimed he stole millions.
NorthJersey.com and the USA TODAY Network New Jersey examined hundreds of pages of documents and interviewed about 20 acquaintances, community leaders, customers, investors and social media experts to understand how he used his influence to carry out alleged and admitted schemes.
Mazini, 27, an Edgewater resident whose real name is Jebara Igbara, ran several types of schemes. Here’s how he made his money:
Giveaway promotions
Mazini promised to give away thousands of dollars to a certain number of customers who bought items from his Mazini Italy clothing company or who enrolled in his Mazini Academy. People bought his products and services, but he was accused of lying about cash giveaways.
Halal Capital
Mazini set up an investment company that promised to conduct “halal,” or Quran-compliant business. Muslim New Yorkers invested millions of dollars, but Mazini spent it on personal expenses and gambling, according to federal investigators. He also used the money to pay off past debts to investors in what they called a Ponzi scheme. The Securities and Exchange…
