Minecraft convention cancelled, with $500k unaccounted for

The organisers of a now-cancelled unofficial Minecraft convention are suspected of having made off with over $500k worth of ticket sales.

Kotaku reports that the team behind the New York fan convention Mineorama cancelled the event just four days before it was supposed to happen, saying on Twitter that: "It is with deep regret that I have to inform you that @mineorama has been postponed, stay tuned for updates”.

The Tweet also carried to ominous pledge that "PLEASE NOTE WE ARE NOT A SCAM".

Organizer Lou Gasco a day later clarified that "financing fell through" and that refund details would follow.

They didn’t.

Mineorama’s website has now vanished off the face of the internet and its Twitter account was deleted (although it has subsequently been hijacked), while its Facebook page hasn’t been updated in over a month.

Kotaku successfully tracked down one of the event’s organisers who answered with a swift no comment” before hanging up the phone.