Former Des Moines Radio Host Marty Tirrell faces New Federal Fraud Charges
Des Moines, Iowa – Marty Tirrell, a former central Iowa sports talk radio personality, has been indicted on 11 federal counts of wire fraud, according to court documents unsealed Thursday. Teh charges allege Tirrell defrauded investors in a ticket flipping scheme,spending their money on personal expenses,including gambling,rather than purchasing the promised bulk ticket packages.
Prosecutors allege Tirrell did not make the promised ticket purchases, and rather used investor funds for personal expenses. Each of the 11 counts corresponds to a separate wire transfer allegedly made by investors to Tirrell. The alleged scheme was conducted through Tirrell’s company, Tea Room Broadcasting, utilizing its bank account. A website associated with the company, Sports Overnight America, is currently inactive, with its last update in February.
Tirrell’s history in Des moines is marked by both success and repeated legal troubles. A Massachusetts native, he launched the region’s first sports talk radio program in 1996 on 1490 AM, later moving to 1460 KXnO in 2006. He was fired from KXnO in 2009 following a broadcast of a profane rant caught on a hot mic.
He later secured a lucrative partnership with Toyota of Des Moines from 2009 to 2012, which ended in litigation after Tirrell accepted payment to arrange a speaking engagement with Troy Aikman that never occurred. Prior to this, Tirrell faced accusations and lawsuits alleging he stiffed business partners dating back to 1997. Creditors reported difficulties collecting judgments against Tirrell,alleging he engaged in practices like check kiting and shifting funds between banks to avoid garnishment.
Tirrell’s attempts to return to broadcasting were repeatedly overshadowed by ongoing legal issues. By the time of his 2019 arrest on separate fraud allegations, he was reportedly living out of his car.
This latest indictment adds to a pattern of financial disputes that have followed Tirrell throughout his career in Des Moines.
William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register and can be contacted at wrmorris2@registermedia.com or 715-573-8166.
