Timbaland files a $15 million lawsuit against his former managers, alleging fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and civil theft, among other claims.
Timbaland is suing his former manager and business manager for $15 million, accusing the duo of several claims, including fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and civil theft. The 65-page suit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday.
According to court documents, Timbaland alleges that manager Gary Marella “stole millions in unauthorized commissions, fees, and reimbursements.” This includes allegedly using Timbaland’s money to pay Marella’s employees, as well as falsifying “financial records and communications to conceal unauthorized payments.”
Meanwhile, Timbaland alleges that former business manager Bruce Seckendorf “failed to pay [Timbaland’s] mortgage and allowed his home to reach the brink of foreclosure.” Documents claim that Seckendorf’s firm “failed to timely pay substantial federal taxes, causing millions in penalties and interest, while continuing to pay themselves, the Marella Defendants, and other professionals millions in commissions, fees, and purported loan repayments.”
“Defendants used their entrusted authority to enrich themselves and others, conceal financial misconduct, and deplete Timbaland’s valuable assets,” reads the filing. “Plaintiffs seek to recover their losses, compel an accounting, and stop the continuing unauthorized use of Timbaland’s name for Defendants’ benefit.”
Timbaland, whose real name is Timothy Mosley, claims he only learned of the alleged misconduct after he received a foreclosure notice last year. Afterward, he says he called Seckendorf, who the suit claims failed to “clearly explain why the office had failed to make the mortgage payments without informing Mosley.”
The producer and artist felt it necessary to take on independent legal counsel and financial representatives to investigate the matter, “uncovering unauthorized payments, concealed credit card arrangements, falsified communications, undisclosed liabilities, and purported loans Mosley had never knowingly agreed to.”
Both managers were terminated last year. While Seckendorf and his firm have not immediately responded to requests for comment, Marella said he strongly disputed the allegations against him.
“Unfortunately, Tim is attempting to shift responsibility for his own overspending and financial decisions onto someone else (again) as he did before we managed him,” said Marella. “When I began managing him in 2017, long after producing his biggest hits, he was already broke and in debt, had spent all of his money, and was living in a rental. His financial problems did not begin with me. I came in to help rebuild his business.”
“Over approximately nine years, we generated roughly $75 million in business,” Marella continued. “Despite that, Tim continued spending beyond his means, ultimately having to sell his home last year due to his actions and move into a rental in Coral Gables. Those were the consequences of his own financial decisions, no one else.”
Marella is the CEO of Mono Music Group, which has represented other artists alongside Timbaland, including Poo Bear and ATL Jacob. Seckendorf is a partner at LL Business Management, which represents names like Pusha T, Clipse, Cirkut, and Feid, and was also listed atop Billboard’s top managers list last year.
