Backstreet Boys still got it goin' on
The Backstreet Boys are still battling Lou Pearlman and Trans Continental Records in court. This lawsuit, originally filed in Florida, was moved to the Supreme Court of New York County, where it's now pending but can't go forward because Pearlman and TCR are in bankruptcy. The Boys paid Pearlman $29.5-million in 2000 to break free of his tentacles, but they say he misled them that others who played roles in the Boys' success had been "taken care of." Now some of those people are suing the Boys along with Pearlman. A Nashville lawyer has filed notice in the bankruptcy court that he is representing the Boys' interests in the case, although no claim has been filed yet. Lawyer Jason Turner said he estimates the Boys' claim to be worth $4-million. Pearlman and TCR also are suing the Boys, claiming they breached the settlement agreement. The Boys (minus Kevin Richardson) are finishing up a new album that will be released later this year on Jive Records. Last year they sold 86,000 records in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.
(Photo credit: album cover)
St. Petersburg Times personal finance editor Helen Huntley writes about money topics and answers questions about financial planning, investments and personal income taxes.
Why aren't any of those boy bands speaking out. They have that celebrity status that everybody seems to eat up. Who knows, maybe somebody will listen to them.
Posted by: Kim | June 05, 2007 at 10:19 PM
that guy has to go to jail.bsb's da best.ktbspa!!!
Posted by: andy | May 23, 2007 at 05:21 PM
LOU ALWAYS KNEW THE ANGLE AROUND EVERYTHING HE DID. DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR? DID YOU EVER WAIT AROUND FOR HIM TO CALL YOU BACK ON YOUR CELL PHONE? YOU WAITED AND WAITED,YOU LOOKED TO TO IF YOU HAD CELLS AND YOU HAD FULL BARS AND THEN YOU GOT A VOICE MAIL WITH NO RING. HOW DID IT HAPPEN? LOU KNEW THE WAY AROUND THE PHONE SYSTEM SO THAT THE COWARD WOULD GO DIRECTLY INTO VOICE MAIL SO HE WOULD BE THE "GOOD GUY" WITHOUT EVEN TALKING TO YOU.THIS HAPPENED TO ME AND MANY OTHERS. SO THE FAX WITHOUT ANY IDENTITY DOES NOT SURPRISE ME.
Posted by: JENNIFER...NY | May 23, 2007 at 09:58 AM
That fax has to be bogus. Lou is not that stupid to think he needs a public defender.
And he can't get a lawyer? Geeze, there are lawyers wanting to represent the scumbags in Gitmo, why wouldn't they represent LJP too? C'mon, in all seriousness...
Posted by: | May 23, 2007 at 08:18 AM
Is Mandy N. even a US citizen?
Posted by: | May 23, 2007 at 08:03 AM
Hi Mandy, how is the Michael Jackson concert coming along? When will I be able to take my family to the venue? Remember you promised me that you and Lou were working on the concert? Or was it just another one of your wet lies that you told me?
Posted by: E.C. | May 23, 2007 at 07:30 AM
How can it be taken serioulsy if no return contact info. was provided? Sounds like another non story generated by a prankster to throw us off the search. It does not even deserve speculation, perhaps a lead for the FBI if they were up to it.
Posted by: | May 23, 2007 at 07:26 AM
Mystery missive in fraud scheme
It appears that Lou Pearlman faxed the bankruptcy court to get a public defender.
By Helen Huntley, Times personal finance editor
Published May 23, 2007
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More than four months after leaving the country and a horde of angry creditors and investors behind, music producer Lou Pearlman went public Tuesday with a message to the bankruptcy court. Or at least that's the way it looks.
A filing purporting to be from Pearlman was faxed to the Orlando bankruptcy court early Tuesday morning with no return address and the sending telephone number obscured. If it's actually from him, it's the first time Pearlman has communicated with the court since the March 1 bankruptcy filing.
His message: he wants a public defender because he can't find a lawyer to represent him. He also claims any of his documents in the possession of his former lawyers are protected by attorney-client privilege and shouldn't be turned over to the trustee appointed to the case. He wants to claim his right not to incriminate himself.
"I attempted to obtain counsel to represent me in this matter and have not been able to secure counsel due to the conflicts of interest that exist for the members of the bar that have been contacted on my behalf, " Pearlman's filing said. He asks for a public defender "to protect my constitutional rights before this court."
Pearlman's Orlando entertainment empire collapsed this year after the state accused him of running one of the largest investment frauds in Florida history. He owes investors and lenders more than $400-million and a group of banks forced him into involuntary bankruptcy.
Pearlman's missive to the court was prompted by a motion by trustee Soneet Kapila to force former Pearlman lawyer Rene Chamberlain to turn over her files.
Bankruptcy Judge Arthur Briskman is reviewing the motion and Pearlman's objection.
There is no right to a public defender in bankruptcy court as there is in criminal cases.
However, Pearlman's filing says "the potential is very high that any documents or property obtained would be used against me in criminal proceedings in state or federal courts."
Chamberlain could not be reached for comment. She did not respond to two letters that Kapila's lawyers sent last month demanding turnover of the documents.
Pearlman is best known as a promoter of boy bands, including *NSync and the Backstreet Boys.
Helen Huntley can be reached at hhuntley@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8230.
[Last modified May 22, 2007, 22:47:26]
Posted by: | May 23, 2007 at 02:16 AM
You have ruined my life and the life of my family. You have stolen my kids college money. My 80 year old parents have no money. All this because they believed in you LJP. All this because they believed Mandy was their friend. You are a horrible man.But now after almost 6 months I'm beginning to think that the state of Florida is even more horrible because of the lack of any criminal conviction or charge. How can you get away with this? Helen Huntley you need to be more of an investigative reporter and guide us and not just be so passive and report the news. If maybe you did not report the news of LJP in December all of this would not have been so bad. Where has all of your reporting get us. They are all walking around whilst we have NO MORE MONEY. Maybe you can report the contact person at the State and federal level so that we can call and write. Please help and do more Ms. Huntley. You started the ball rolling, now finish it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: NYC | May 23, 2007 at 01:15 AM
Donnie you think we did not fund them? It's what it was all about dude.
Posted by: | May 22, 2007 at 08:26 PM
"Let Back Street Boys sue, when or if they collect, they can hand it over to EISA investors, we funded them."
Oh yeah I see that happening.
I bet you think those kids (at the time) had any idea where Lou was getting his money.
Posted by: Donnie | May 22, 2007 at 07:21 PM
COME ON PEOPLE LETS DO SOMETHING ABOUT GETTING OUR HARD EARNED MONEY BACK DO WE HAVE ANY GOVERMENT IN THIS COUNTRY ANY MORE IF IT WAS THEIR MONEY PEARLMAN WOULD HAVE BEEN IN JAIL
Posted by: | May 22, 2007 at 06:44 PM
To Sinclair 06:53 AM, Don't off yourself, Pearlman is not worth it. FIGHT,FIGHT,FIGHT my friend because in the end we will see it all implode from the top down. It will take people like Mandy,Finger, and that low life maggot Fish. Don't you want to see all the fun things taht will happen to these people? I do and will be in the court in Orlando to watch and laugh. I can't wait!
Posted by: | May 22, 2007 at 08:09 AM
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WHAT IN SAM HILL IS GOING ON HERE? WE THE PEOPLE ARE GETTING A ROYAL SCREWING FROM EVERYONE FROM THE TOP DOWN REGARDING LOU P. IT HAS BEEN 6 MONTHS AND ALL WE HERE IS THE SAME BS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. WHY DON'T WE HEAR FROM MS. BROOKS FROM THE OFFICE OF FINANCIAL REGULATION IN FLORIDA? WHY NO PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM ANY OFFICIAL IN ORLANDO LIKE THE MAYOR OR FORMER MAYOR? WHERE IS OUR GOVERNMENT HELPING US IN ANY WAY? PEOPLE, IF WE DON'T KEEP CALLING, AND POSTING ON THESE BOARDS WEHAVE NOHOPE OF ANYTHING! WHY DON'T WE HEAR ABOUT THE CRIST-TRANSCON CONNECTION ANY MORE?I HEAR PEOPLE SAY THAT LOU P. HAS BEEN SEEN IN GERMANY WITH US5. IS THIS A LITTLE NASTY RUMOR?WHERE ARE THE LAWYERS? ARE THERE ANY OUT THERE WITH ANY BALLS TO DO SOMETHING FOR US PEOPLE? AS FOR ME,LIFE IS OVER AND THE END IS NEAR. I HAVE MADE A PERSONAL PROMISE TO MY MAKER TO DO AWAY WITH MY SELF AND END MY MISERY IF I DON'T SEE SOME REAL ACTION AND CAPTURE BY JULY.
Posted by: SINCLAIR | May 22, 2007 at 06:53 AM
It's about time we got some charges, information,and indictments against everybody and every organization that had anything to do with this scam.We need information and action ,not tomorrow,but yesterday.Lets gooooooo.
Posted by: | May 21, 2007 at 09:29 PM
Let Back Street Boys sue, when or if they collect, they can hand it over to EISA investors, we funded them.
Posted by: | May 21, 2007 at 08:44 PM
Well, these boys can just join our club and stand in line with the rest of us. Can the FBI/IRS/FDIC hear us: ACTION, ACTION, WE WANT SOME ACTION!!!!!!!!FEDERAL INDICTMENTS. NEED THEM, DEMAND THEM, AND WANT HIM BAAAAAAAAD!!!!!!!!!!!!CAN ANYBODY HEAR ME?
Posted by: Willie | May 21, 2007 at 07:51 PM