Producers sue over alleged "Rebecca" musical scam

The producers of the Broadway musical "Rebecca" have sued a Long Island securities dealer who was charged criminally this week with sinking the show with a bizarre fraud.

Mark Hotton was arrested Monday. Prosecutors accused him of flimflamming the musical's producers with an elaborate scheme.

They say he pretended to have raised $4.5 million in investments for the musical in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars in commissions and travel expenses.

Prosecutors say the investors he claimed to have recruited all turned out to be fakes.

The producers say in their lawsuit that Hotton's alleged deception "gravely wounded" the show, which is now on hold indefinitely.

Hotton's lawyer has said that his client didn't set out to defraud the show.

"Rebecca" was expected to begin its run at New York's Broadhurst Theatre this fall. Based on writer Daphne du Maurier's novel, "Rebecca"  previously has been performed in Europe.

The Gothic mystery musical was written by Michael Kunze and Sylvester Levay. It was performed in German before getting translated into English.

Broadway's "Rebecca" was canceled earlier this month after a series of delays.