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Police in St. Petersburg are investigating Moscow-based Say Agency, the organizer of canceled Kanye West concerts, for possible fraud, Kommersant reported. More than 100,000 tickets had reportedly been sold before the shows were scrapped amid political backlash.
Police in St. Petersburg are investigating Moscow-based Say Agency, the organizer of two canceled Kanye West concerts, for possible fraud, the newspaper Kommersant reported, citing an anonymous source. The inquiry, reported by Meduza on September 30, 2026, follows complaints from ticket buyers who have been unable to obtain refunds after the shows at Gazprom Arena were called off.
According to Kommersant’s unnamed source, police in St. Petersburg’s Petrogradsky district are conducting the inquiry. The information they gather will be sent to Moscow, where Russia’s Interior Ministry headquarters will decide whether there are grounds to open a formal criminal investigation. No criminal case has been confirmed as opened at this stage.
The inquiry reportedly followed a request from a member of St. Petersburg’s Legislative Assembly, who said constituents had complained about the canceled shows. West, also known as Ye, had been scheduled to perform at Gazprom Arena on October 10 and 11, with ticket prices ranging from 9,000 to 160,000 rubles. Say Agency said it had sold more than 100,000 tickets within the first two days of sales.
The concerts were canceled after a sharp backlash from lawmakers and activists, who cited the rapper’s past remarks about Adolf Hitler and his use of Nazi symbols, and demanded that he publicly support Russia’s “special military operation.” On August 24, Gazprom Arena’s management announced the concert would not go ahead. Say Agency maintained that the announcement and start of ticket sales had been approved and that a contract with the musician had already been signed. On September 4, the arena reiterated that its October schedule included no foreign performers, and ticket buyers began demanding refunds, as well as compensation for travel expenses and emotional distress. West’s Russian concerts disappeared from his official tour schedule on September 18.
Stakes for Ticket Buyers and Promoter
The potential criminal dimension raises the stakes considerably for the thousands of Russian ticket buyers who paid up to 160,000 rubles per ticket. If the Interior Ministry decides to open a criminal fraud case, Say Agency could face criminal liability, which may affect whether and how refunds are paid. If no case is opened, buyers would likely be left pursuing civil claims on their own.
The episode also illustrates the volatile environment for large-scale entertainment events in Russia, where a major international booking was announced, sold out quickly, and then collapsed under political pressure — with the promoter, the venue, and the artist all giving different accounts of what went wrong. The reported 100,000-plus tickets sold in two days show the scale of the financial exposure created in under a week.
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How the Concerts Collapsed
Kanye West’s planned concerts in St. Petersburg were announced with ticket sales opening to strong demand, according to Say Agency. The announcement quickly drew criticism from Russian lawmakers and activists over the rapper’s history of antisemitic remarks and Nazi symbolism, and some critics demanded he back the war in Ukraine as a condition of performing.
On August 24, Gazprom Arena’s management said the concerts would not take place. Say Agency responded that the event and ticket sales had been properly approved and that a contract with West had been signed, effectively disputing responsibility for the cancellation. The arena repeated on September 4 that no foreign performers were on its October schedule. Two weeks later, the Russian dates vanished from West’s official tour listing, and refund demands mounted.
“The information they gather will then be sent to Moscow. Russia’s Interior Ministry headquarters will decide whether there are grounds to open a criminal investigation.”
— Anonymous source cited by Kommersant
What the Fraud Inquiry Hasn’t Established
The existence of the police inquiry itself rests on a single anonymous source cited by Kommersant; Meduza’s report likewise attributes all key details to that source. It remains unclear whether a formal criminal case will be opened, and no charges have been filed.
Several core questions are unresolved: whether Say Agency actually held a binding contract with West when tickets went on sale; who bears contractual responsibility for the cancellation — the promoter, the arena, or the artist’s side; and how much money was actually collected and whether any refunds have been paid. Neither Say Agency, Gazprom Arena, nor West’s representatives have publicly addressed the fraud allegation, and the Interior Ministry has not confirmed the inquiry.
Decision Pending in Moscow
The next milestone is the transfer of the Petrogradsky district police findings to Interior Ministry headquarters in Moscow, which will decide whether to open a criminal fraud investigation. That decision has no announced timeline.
Separately, ticket buyers’ refund demands — including claims for travel costs and emotional distress — are likely to continue through consumer-protection channels or the courts regardless of the criminal outcome. Further statements from Say Agency, Gazprom Arena, or the legislator who filed the initial request could clarify whether the shows were ever contractually secure.
Key Questions
Who is being investigated and for what?
Moscow-based Say Agency, the concert promoter, is being checked for possible fraud, according to Kommersant. No criminal case has been confirmed as opened.
Were Kanye West’s concerts officially canceled?
Yes. Gazprom Arena said on August 24 that the October 10–11 shows would not take place, and the Russian dates were removed from West’s official tour schedule on September 18.
How many tickets were sold and what did they cost?
Say Agency said it sold more than 100,000 tickets in the first two days. Prices ranged from 9,000 to 160,000 rubles.
Why were the concerts called off?
The arena’s announcement followed backlash from lawmakers and activists over West’s past remarks about Hitler and use of Nazi symbols, with some demanding he support the war in Ukraine. The exact contractual reason for the cancellation remains publicly unclear.
Will ticket buyers get refunds?
That is unclear. Buyers have demanded refunds plus compensation for travel and emotional distress, but there is no confirmed information on whether Say Agency has paid any refunds.
Source: rss
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