Dubspot faces numerous accusations of fraud from both students and teachers
For years, Dubspot was one of the country’s most renowned electronic music production schools, with campuses in both New York and Los Angeles. However, it seems that recently, the academy’s operations have slipped below its reputation.
Today, May 16, THUMP reports that a substantial number of former students and teachers have accused Dubspot (and its CEO, Dan Giove) of “fraudulent activities and erratic behavior.” According to the VICE subsidiary, “over 55 students [have] alleged that the school did not deliver the classes which they had paid for upfront, and in some cases have not issued refunds.”
Allegedly, Dubspot’s chronic inability to provide classes to enrolled students stems from the administration’s habit of defaulting payment to instructors. THUMP reports complaints of frequent session rescheduling, but notes that when students “did manage to go to a class, there was often no instructor present because they themselves had not been paid their teacher’s fee and refused to teach.”
In their investigative report, THUMP documented Austrian student Nina Braith’s experience with Dubspot:
“Nina Braith, from Austria, had paid $4,396 for an Ableton Live Producer Certificate course at Dubspot’s New York location that was due to start in March. After not hearing from the staff about an official start date, she went to the school in April to see what was going on in person. ‘The school was a mess…There was hardly any equipment there anymore and I was offended by a guy who was [at the school], and rudely asked me to leave.’
“‘I have spoken to two teachers who had worked at Dubspot before and can’t believe how much money Dan Giove already owes to so many people, students and teachers, and for how long this situation is already going on,’ she added. After not hearing back about getting a refund from Dubspot, Braith was able to get her money back via her credit card company.”
The report further notes that Giove is currently embroiled in suits against several students and faculty, with some seeking damages of up to $10,000 from the executive. At press time, neither of Dubspot’s campuses are operating, but the company has not made a formal statement regarding the closure.
Read the full report on THUMP.
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