Police: Concert Promoters Held Hostage

Six people have been charged with holding two promoters hostage in New Jersey over a concert that failed to make a profit.

Vineland police say promoters Michael Murphy of Southbury, Conn., and Amir Saleem of Ocean City, N.J., were held at gunpoint in a Vineland 'Sneaker Lounge' store for six hours on June 4.

Police say their captors included people who put up $165,000 for a Memorial Day weekend event in Miami Beach. The promoters allegedly were forced to make phone calls to relatives to wire them money.

One of the accused investors tells Fox 29 News that a meeting was held to discuss ways to recover the money but denies the use of weapons or threats being made.

Those charged range in age from 19 to 52 and live in Vineland, Glassboro and Pittsgrove. The charges include kidnapping, extortion and robbery. Bail was set at $200,000 each.

Natubhai Patel, 52, of the 2000 block of Indian Drive in Vineland; Anil Patel, 26, of the same address; Trupti Cortes, 38, of the 200 block of East High Street in Glassboro; Alexis Flores, 19, of the 2100 block of Mayslanding Road in Vineland; Margarito Diaz Jr., 33, of the 1000 block of Garry Avenue in Vineland; and Eliseo Villalongo, 27, of the 600 block of Gershal Avenue in Pittsgrove.

Police continue to look for Pasquale Federici, who they say coordinated the intimidation.

A Vineland police spokesman said Wednesday he did not know which lawyers were representing the defendants.