Cornerstone exec Jeff Vadillo exposes disturbing fake audition scam targeting aspiring artists through impersonation, extortion, and online exploitation.
Cornerstone Entertainment Inc. has warned artists, managers, and aspiring talents against an alleged scam operation using fake auditions and impersonation tactics to exploit victims online.
In a social media post, Cornerstone vice president and chief operating officer Jeff Vadillo disclosed that several managers recently reported incidents involving an individual allegedly pretending to be him in order to obtain the contact numbers of artists for a supposed movie project.
Cornerstone Entertainment is one of the Philippines’ leading multimedia talent agencies and entertainment companies. Alongside founder and president Erickson Raymundo, Vadillo helped grow the company from a small townhouse office into a major industry player handling some of the country’s biggest actors, singers, influencers, and media personalities.
According to Vadillo, the alleged scammer’s modus operandi involves isolating artists from their management teams before arranging online auditions while pretending to be a well-known film director.
“Once in the audition, the scammer—whose video is conveniently turned off—will pretend to be a popular director,” Vadillo wrote.
He alleged that the suspect would then pressure artists into exposing themselves on camera as part of the audition process, secretly record the act without consent, and later use the footage for harassment and extortion.
Vadillo said the scheme may sound unbelievable, but stressed that several individuals in the entertainment industry had allegedly already fallen victim to it while searching for work opportunities.
The executive also posted screenshots of conversations allegedly used by the impersonator to appear legitimate. The messages referenced supposed projects involving Cornerstone, GMA, Netflix, and several celebrities in an apparent attempt to gain the trust of managers and talents.
Vadillo thanked industry contacts who immediately informed them about the suspicious activity, helping stop the alleged scam before more people could be affected.
“And for you—the scammer behind all this—you have caused countless trauma to so many people in the industry,” he wrote, adding that the individual allegedly operated through multiple untraceable Telegram, Maya, WhatsApp, and Viber accounts.
The incident has sparked renewed concerns over online audition safety, identity impersonation, and the growing risks faced by aspiring artists navigating digital casting opportunities.
The messages referenced supposed projects involving Cornerstone, GMA, Netflix, and several celebrities in an apparent attempt to gain the trust of managers and talents.
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