Christian Garcia, a Los Angeles-based influencer with more than 1.6 million Instagram followers, is facing allegations from multiple individuals who claim he took money for exclusive events, introductions, and promotional opportunities that never materialized. Several alleged victims say they have filed complaints with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, while others say they are considering legal action. Garcia declined to comment when contacted about the allegations.
Garcia built an online following by posting photos from red carpet appearances and celebrity events, frequently sharing images with high-profile figures. His account lists him as a public figure, and his follower list includes well-known personalities such as singer Meghan Trainor and reality television personality Spencer Pratt. According to individuals who say they paid him for access to events or connections, Garcia’s apparent proximity to celebrities helped establish credibility that persuaded them to trust his offers.
One of those individuals, Melisa Vong, says she paid Garcia more than $10,000 after he told her he could arrange attendance at a Tesla event in Los Angeles that would include a meet-and-greet with Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Vong says Garcia told her the event would involve the unveiling of a Tesla artificial intelligence robot and said he could connect her with Tesla’s events team to confirm the details.
According to Vong, the event was initially scheduled for early 2025 but was later postponed several times. Garcia allegedly cited disruptions related to Los Angeles fires as a reason for rescheduling and later suggested the event would occur in May. Vong says the event never took place and that no public record of it exists.
Vong also says Garcia arranged a Zoom call with a person he described as a Tesla employee in order to verify the event. The participant’s camera was turned off during the call. Afterward, Vong contacted a Tesla employee with the same name through LinkedIn, who told her she had never spoken with Vong and had no knowledge of Garcia or the event.
Vong says she has repeatedly asked Garcia for refunds and has received only a small partial repayment. She has not filed a police report but says she has spoken publicly about the experience to warn others.
Another individual who says he lost money in dealings with Garcia is a San Diego-based public relations executive who asked to be identified only as Div. Div says he was introduced to Garcia through a mutual contact in 2024 and was told Garcia could place him and his clients on guest lists for major entertainment events in Los Angeles.
Div says he initially paid Garcia for access to a Billboard event. When he arrived, he was told he was not on the guest list, although he was eventually able to enter the event. Afterward, Garcia allegedly told him he could secure invitations to other events and provide publicity opportunities, including help arranging placement on Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list.
Div says he sent Garcia payments over several months through Zelle, PayPal, and cryptocurrency. He alleges that none of the promised opportunities occurred and that Garcia ultimately stopped responding after returning only a small portion of the money. Div and a business partner later submitted a complaint to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
A former associate, Marlen Orozco, says she ended her relationship with Garcia after an incident involving Coachella wristbands in 2024. According to Orozco, Garcia said he could obtain artist wristbands and guest passes for the music festival and encouraged her to help sell them to buyers. The passes were marketed with deposits ranging from $1,500 to $2,000.
Orozco says approximately 15 buyers paid deposits but never received the wristbands. Garcia allegedly told her the money had been sent to a third party who failed to deliver the passes. Some buyers had traveled to California expecting to attend the festival but were denied entry. Orozco says she later posted a warning about Garcia on Instagram and was contacted by others who claimed they had similar experiences.
Other individuals say they also paid Garcia for opportunities that never occurred. Kevin King says he paid Garcia $5,000 for access to what Garcia described as an Amazon creators event in Los Angeles that would include a meet-and-greet with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. According to King, the event was repeatedly postponed before Garcia stopped providing clear updates.
Another individual, Will Heffernan, says he paid Garcia $1,350 after Garcia claimed he could help restore access to a disabled Instagram account through contacts at Meta. Heffernan says he later learned Garcia did not have the connections he had described.
Los Angeles musician Hazel Picaso also says she paid Garcia $5,000 to organize promotion for a song release, including posts from more than twenty influencers attending a launch event. According to Picaso, only two influencers ultimately appeared.
Garcia has previously described himself publicly as a fashion influencer, podcaster, and mental health advocate. He has appeared in interviews with outlets including Forbes and Galore Magazine, where he discussed his work in social media and fashion.
Online, Garcia continues to post photographs from events and restaurant visits across California. At the time of publication, he remained active on social media while allegations from several individuals who say they paid him for services remain unresolved.
The FBI said it cannot confirm or deny whether Garcia is the subject of an investigation, but encouraged anyone who believes they have been the victim of an online scam to file a report with the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
