The Great British Plus Size Awards Swindle

The creator of the British Plus Size Awards is under investigation for canceling the show last minute, leaving some participants broke and stranded in London.

Organizer Linda Koch cancelled the fourth annual awards show on November 18, a day before the event on social media as well as her personal social media accounts, without warning to sponsors or attendees.

Plus size retailers and supporters, some who have traveled as far as Australia to attend the show in London, reported Koch to investigation companies like Action Fraud, the National Fraud and Cyber Crime Centre after she cancelled without explaination or ticket refund information, according to The Daily Mail.

Koch broke her silence on November 25, with a long statement on the British Plus Size Awards official Facebook page.

"The decision to cancel was made with much trepidation. My team and I struggled until the eleventh hour to prevent it, but at 5.05pm on Friday 18th November, we had to accept that we had exhausted every possible avenue to rescue the situation. The exact course of events which led to this decision is both long and complex. In addition, there are still some issues, relating to the matter, on which I am seeking legal advice...

I truly believe in the plus size industry and openly commend anyone who has the passion and desire to pick up the reins, now I am no longer able to continue."

Comments from Koch's post were not sympathetic. Four days later, Koch posted again to the BPSA Facebook page, with more details on her decision to cancel the show:

"For some time I have been struggling financially to keep my head above water and to keep the business running. I ploughed every penny back into the business. Unfortunately, along the way I made some bad choices regarding financial business and personal decisions. As a result, not only have those I was so passionate about supporting been let down and left out of pocket, I have also lost my own home by choosing to try and continue with the business rather than paying my mortgage. I was too proud to let anyone know the enormity of the situation or ask for help."

Once again, Koch didn't earn any sympathy from BPSA followers. To add insult to injury BPSA decided to announce award winners via a photo gallery in another Facebook post without fanfare. Koch gave no further comment since November 29.