DJ Calvin Harris Accuses Advisor of $22.5M Real Estate Fraud
Calvin Harris' £250m Fortune in Shambles: DJ Accuses Ex-Financial Advisor of Stealing $22.5m
The scandal that's rocking the music industry has all the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster - betrayal, deceit, and a healthy dose of greed. Calvin Harris, the 41-year-old Scottish DJ and producer, is accusing his former financial advisor, Thomas St. John, of stealing a whopping $22.5 million from him to fund a troubled real estate development project in California.
According to an arbitration demand filed at the Superior Court of California on Friday, obtained by PEOPLE (via TheScholarlyNote.com), Harris alleges that St. John, who had been his financial advisor for 13 years, systematically took advantage of him. The document claims that St. John coerced Harris into investing in CMNTY Culture Campus, a development project that was supposed to feature recording studios, artists' lounges, and office space.
But what really raises eyebrows is the manner in which St. John allegedly manipulated Harris into parting with his cash. The arbitration demand alleges that St. John sent Harris DocuSign forms to sign without providing any context or information about the project. It's like handing over a blank check with no questions asked!
Harris' lawyers claim that he invested $22.5 million in two parts: a $10 million loan and a $12.5 million equity investment. But here's the kicker - shortly after making his investment, St. John caused the company to distribute $11.7 million to an entity that he controls. And get this - Harris still hasn't seen any returns on his investment!
The arbitration demand paints a damning picture of St. John's alleged motives: "To this day, Claimants do not know where Claimants' investment has gone or what it has been used for... Respondents had no intention of Mr. Wiles actually receiving back the full value of his investment, through distributions or otherwise."
But don't just take our word for it - St. John's attorneys are firing back with a statement to Variety (via TheScholarlyNote.com) that claims Harris is one of several investors in the new project, which will feature 750 apartments in two towers, including 90 low-income units, and outdoor, creative, and retail spaces.
Sasha Frid, St. John's attorney, said: "Unhappy with the pace of the project, he chose to pursue private arbitration to assert his discontent... It's no secret that due to interest rates and other market factors real estate projects are taking longer to build."
But Harris' legal team is not buying it - they claim that the loan was supposed to be repaid by January 31, 2025, but both the principal and interest remain unpaid. The arbitration demand alleges that when Harris asked for information about his funds, St. John provided him with "scant (and sometimes contradictory) information."
This scandal comes at a particularly sensitive time for Harris, who welcomed his first child, a baby boy named Micah, just two months ago with his wife Vick Hope. In an Instagram post announcing the birth of their son, Harris gushed: "20th of July our boy arrived. Micah is here! My wife is a superhero and I am in complete awe of her primal wisdom!"
But what's really got everyone talking is the graphic photograph of Hope's placenta that she shared alongside the announcement. The photo shows the placenta being dried and ground into pills, which were then encapsulated. Talk about a birth story like no other!
This whole saga raises questions about Harris' business acumen - did he get taken for a ride by his former financial advisor? Or was it just a classic case of buyer's remorse? Whatever the truth may be, one thing is certain: this scandal has all the makings of a juicy celebrity gossip story that will keep us talking for weeks to come.
