Looking at the website, the gmail address, the terrible grammar and spelling in the emails, it's a wonder the warning bells weren't ringing alot earlier.
I hope you catch these thieves but for such a large transaction I'd want some real firm contact details for the person I was dealing with and a way to get hold of them if things went pear shaped.
In case you dont have it here is another gmail address for him when he was scouting (unsuccessfully) for models
[email protected]
Edit: another email from when he was looking for photographers:
[email protected].