This case has garnered attention around the world due to the profile of Ross Halfin (the former Kerrang! photographer) as a famous legendary rock music photographer, who is a prolific Facebook and Instagram contributor telling his followers of his exploits with the stars and posting photos of himself with musicians such as Jimmy Page, Slash, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Kirk Hammett, Roger Daltrey, among others. The background to the complaint by Jeremy Wagner, a resident of Chicago USA, centres on three black & white prints and one colour print of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd sold to him by Halfin in 2018, signed by Halfin as his work, and embossed with his stamp designating authenticity as prints made from Ross Halfin original photographs.

In October 2023, on discovering that the B&W prints he bought were not taken by Halfin but were in fact the work of Barry Plummer, a 60s music photographer.  Wagner wrote to Halfin in January 2024 telling him of his discovery and requested the return of his money.  Wagner was shocked and pissed off because he had given Halfin thousands of dollars in business since they first met in 2010 and having developed a friendly relationship was flabbergasted that Halfin had intentionally deceived him and perpetrated a fraud against him, seemingly for financial gain.  Wagner had written to Halfin requesting a response to his attorney in Chicago and despite emails back and forth, the parties failed to communicate directly, despite having communicated with each other at regular intervals by phone, email, WhatsApp and Facebook in the preceding 24 years.  

By July 2024, Wagner had reached out to Barry Plummer, who confirmed in writing that the three B&W prints were his photographs at which point Wagner instructed his lawyer in the UK to write to Halfin who failed to respond.  In August 2024, Halfin attempted to arrange a meeting through an intermediary with Wagner backstage at a Metallica concert in Chicago which Wagner declined requesting Halfin to communicate instead to his legal representative.

Having reached an apparent deadlock, Wagner next instructed his attorney in Chicago to commence a civil claim against Halfin for violation of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, and papers were duly served on Halfin in December 2024. 

The full background including photographic evidence is best summed up by PetaPixel, an independent website devoted to photography, photographers and camera equipment, who reported on the case here.  

Several hearings followed to which Halfin did not attend and in a hearing on May 21, 2025, Halfin admitted through his attorney that all the facts of the case are true and that he is liable for consumer fraud in violation of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.  In a civil claim, admitting liability carries the same weight as pleading guilty in a criminal case. There followed a further hearing on November 24, 2025 to settle the amount of damages to be awarded to Wagner.  Halfin did not attend despite a Notice served on him compelling him to appear in person or via Zoom.  His attorney was present and when ordered to contact Halfin, was informed that he was en-route on a flight to the USA.  (His social media revealed he was in Japan at the time, thereby perjuring himself).  Having failed to appear to defend his actions and on hearing the arguments and evidence  presented, the Court granted a default Judgment in favour of Wagner and an Order for compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorney’s fees and costs totalling $61,241 (USD) or £47,108 (GBP).

Ross Halfin is a well-known music photographer trading as RHP Ltd, with a website selling prints of his photographs directly to fans and members of the public and through various online galleries.  It now remains to be seen whether any more purchasers of his prints will come forward alleging fraud following his admission of liability to committing consumer fraud whilst falsely representing himself as the photographer of prints copyright owned by photographer Barry Plummer.

Full disclosure:
George Chin, the writer of this blog, is the legal representative of Jeremy Wagner in the UK. 
Jeremy Wagner is represented in the USA by Mandell Menkes LLC of Chicago.

Source: Case no. 2024SC00005216 Circuit Court of Lake County, Illinois, USA – Filed Complaint and Judgment Order.