R. Kelly sued by former manager
$1 million in commissions
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—R&B singer-songwriter R. Kelly was sued today by a former manager, who alleges the entertainer owes him more than $1 million commissions for helping him revive his career amid child pornography allegations.
Jeff Kwatinetz, through his company, Prospect Park, filed the case in Los Angeles Superior Court.
He is alleging breach of contract and fraud and also is asking for unspecified punitive damages from Kelly and his business manager, Derrel McDavid.
A representative for the 44-year-old performer, whose real name is Robert Kelly, could not be immediately reached.
According to the suit, Kelly sought out Kwatinetz in 2008 and asked him to be his talent manager at a time the singer’s “career and personal life had hit an all-time low” because of the child porn allegations. Kwatinetz took the job after getting assurances from Kelly’s representatives that the charges were false, according to his suit.
Kwatinetz says he helped Kelly through the recording of two CDs, organized concert tours—including one in Africa—a book deal and other events, earning the singer millions of dollars.
He alleges that McDavid told him that his commission money was needed to pay off people threatening to expose sexual misconduct and other details about the singer that would be embarrassing to him. Kelly ultimately claimed he was not obligated to pay Kwatinetz, according to the plaintiff’s court papers.
“It is now obvious that Kelly and his handlers never intended to pay commissions due ...,” the suit alleges.
Kelly was acquitted of the child porn charges s in 2008.
The rumor blowing up Saturday was that Day 2 of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival could feature a surprise appearance by electronica icons Daft Punk. According to the Twitterverse, it would probably take place during the set of headliners Phoenix.
But when the special guest finally materialized on the main stage, it wasn’t Daft Punk, it was R. Kelly. Yes, that R. Kelly.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—A judge today finalized her tentative ruling allowing Jimi Hendrix’s estate to move forward with its $2 million lawsuit against a producer concerning a proposed film and soundtrack compiled from 1969 concerts by the famed musician in Europe.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Amy Hogue affirmed her tentative ruling handed down Tuesday denying a motion by attorneys for Gerald Goldstein to toss out the case filed by the Hendrix estate in May 2011.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—A former Palmdale apartment manager who said he was punched, kicked and pepper-sprayed without provocation in a confrontation with sheriff’s deputies received an additional $6,000 in punitive damages in addition to $575,000 awarded two days earlier by the same jury.
The Los Angeles Superior Court panel deliberated for about one and half hours Friday before assessing the damages in favor of Noel Bender and against Deputy Scott Sorrow.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—An Antelope Valley community group sued Lancaster and Palmdale officials today, alleging the cities engaged in practices meant to drive out Black and Latino residents.
The complaint was filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on behalf of the Community Action League, the California State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and two unidentified residents who allegedly faced racial discrimination.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—A Los Angeles police sergeant who claimed he was the victim of retaliation for being gay was awarded $1.16 million by a jury.
A Los Angeles Superior Court jury deliberated for part of Wednesday afternoon and most of Thursday before finding in favor of Sgt. Ronald Crump.
"This was not a case about Ronald Crump being gay, but about the department's retaliation against him,'' attorney Gregory Smith said on behalf of Crump.
