Thief.
I had arranged a meeting with him. A few days before, he contacted me to say he couldn't have guests where he was staying. I live in the suburbs so couldn't host (too far outside the city for him to travel). He asked for 50% of his fee in advance to secure a hotel room. Foolishly, I agreed. The day of the meeting, he claimed to be ill and promised to return the money or else make it up when he returned to my city. It's been months, I've been in touch with him a few times, and he continually promised to return the money, but hasn't done anything. Now he's no longer responding to my texts.