The ex-manager, named Dan Dymtrow, alleged the singer and her parents of owing him millions of dollars in commissions as he played a key role in building the singer's career before he was fired.
- Oct 9, 2010
AceShowbiz - Country music star Taylor Swift faces a lawsuit for allegedly owing her ex-manager millions of dollars in commissions. The ex-manager, named Dan Dymtrow, claimed he was promised 5|percent| - 10|percent| commission (or more) from Swift's music career as he played a key role in building the singer's career before he was dumped, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Dymtrow stated that he discovered Swift and later signed her in April 2004 when she was 14. However, after developing Swift and introducing her to industry heavyweights like Big Machine CEO Scott Borchetta, he was fired by the family just before the "Valentine's Day" actress signed with the label.
Moreover, Dymtrow alleged that he was fired because the Swifts avoided to pay him. Dymtrow's attorney, Fernando Pinguelo, said, "They delayed and delayed [the deal] and got rid of my client and subsequently signed the deal and kept his commissions for themselves." The site reported that Dymtrow has filed the suit since 2007. In March, U.S. District Judge Richard Sullivan threw out all of Dymtrow's claims against the Swifts and Big Machine, except for one unjust-enrichment claim.
The Swifts, in the meantime, have responded to Dymtrow's suit. Swift's lawyer, Paul LiCalsi of Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, said, "For him to claim that her success and her major contracts were procured by him is ludicrous. And even if there were some merit to his claims, paying him on the contract would defeat the whole purpose of the law in New York, which is to protect minors who sign contracts."
On the defense, Pinguelo retorted, "What the Swifts fail to realize is that the law also protects managers like Dan Dymtrow against minors and parents who take full advantage of his services without paying him what is owed."
The two sides were said submitting a joint letter to the court seeking documents they hope will prove their cases on Wednesday, October 6. In the letter, Pinguelo insisted that Dymtrow was a victim of a conspiracy between Scott Swift and Borchetta to dump him. However, a trial date has not been set.
