Authorities in Ohio slapped Kevin Foster with 16 criminal counts, including wire fraud and money laundering.
- Aug 31, 2018
AceShowbiz - Ne-Yo's former business manager has been convicted of defrauding the R&B star and fellow singer Brian McKnight.
Authorities in Ohio slapped Kevin Foster with 16 criminal counts, including wire fraud, money laundering, bankruptcy fraud, and tax evasion in May, ruling the New Jersey native convinced Ne-Yo to pour $2 million (£1.5 million) into launching a new drink called OXYwater, without revealing that he was personally involved in the brand.
Foster was also accused of earning McKnight's trust and encouraging him to invest in the firm too, simply to keep the company solvent.
Ne-Yo filed a civil suit against Foster in 2014, claiming he withdrew $4.5 million (£3.5 million) from the Closer hitmaker's account without authorisation between 2011 and 2013. He only discovered he had lost millions when he hired new advisers to oversee his finances after Citibank officials claimed he had failed to make payments on a loan the singer insisted he never signed off on.
Ne-Yo's case was dismissed by a judge in 2016, due to a lack of supporting evidence.
