Promoter Still Held in Angola after Nas Missed Show

A concert promoter from Morris Township who has been trapped in Angola—facing allegations of defrauding a proter there out of hundreds of thousands of dollars after rapper Nas failed to show up for a concert—is making slow progress toward getting home, he said via Facebook.

Patrick Allocco, CEO of AllGood Concerts of Convent Station, remains in a hotel in Luanda, the capital of Angola, forbidden to leave by authorities, he said on Facebook. His son, also named Patrick, is there with him.

He said Monday, when he hoped to make progress after securing much of the money owed to the Angolan promoter, was "disappointingly uneventful."

"With the exception of Patrick's release agreement being filed with the public prosecutor tomorrow, we spent most of the day waiting for the 3 bank wires to clear the local promoter's bank accounts; [he] will not meet with me until the funds appear in his account," the elder Allocco wrote. "It typically takes 2 to 3 business days for the funds to clear. My hope is that the wires clear Angola by Wednesday, the settlement and my release papers are filed on Thursday and I may be permitted to leave by week's end. Things are moving forward, just slower than we'd like."

Allocco previously notified the world via Facebook that he was charged with fraud because Nas hadn't shown up to a New Year's show, though he said he was allowed to stay out of jail and in a hotel while the matter was resolved. The Angolan promoter, Henrique “Riquhino” Miguel, alleged he was owed $400,000, according to several news reports. Allocco has said he was able to recover much of that money from Nas, but was continuing to collect the remainder from other sources.

Recently, he said a via Facebook that a prosecutor told him, "the Government of Angola does not wish to put us in jail. He strongly suggested that we return the $300,000 from NAS directly to the local promoter and that we negotiate the remaining balance to make payments over time upon our return to the United States. Once the bank wire hits Angola, the travel restriction will be lifted for Patrick and he can return home. ... Once the final settlement is submitted and approved by the Prosecutor, I will be free to leave."

And he added: "A quick aside: yesterday Patrick and I visited the local Catholic church ... and as soon as we exited the vestibule, a bird from above relieved itself on Patrick's head and shoulders. It was sure sign from above that today would be promising."

NAS told the entertainment publication TMZ he agreed to perform, but canceled because of a “miscommunication” about travel plans. He said he will not shoulder all of the blame for the canceled concert. TMZ reported Nas played a New Year’s Eve party held by Miami Heat basketball star LeBron James.

Allocco has credited Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen with working hard on his release. Steve Wilson of Frelinghuysen’s press office said the congressman spoke to Christopher McMuller, American ambassador to Angola, and the Congressman’s staff has been in regular contact with U. S. Embassy staff.