A federal investigation reveals that Lil Wayne and Chris Brown misused millions from COVID-19 pandemic relief funds intended for the live entertainment industry, spending the money on luxury items and personal expenses instead of supporting their touring crews.

Business Insider's investigation uncovered thousands of pages of accounting documents showing how these artists spent their Shuttered Venues grants, which provided up to $10 million per recipient. The program required proof of at least 25% revenue loss between 2019 and 2020 quarters and was meant for "ordinary necessary" business expenses.

Key findings from the investigation:

• Lil Wayne spent millions on private jets, luxury brand clothing, and his personal brands, with over $175,000 in personal brand expenses
• Chris Brown received $10 million, putting $5.1 million directly into his pocket and spending nearly $80,000 on his birthday party
• Lil Wayne paid managers, accountants, and attorneys $5.3 million - 13 times more than what his touring crew received
• $2 million of Wayne's grant went to paying off a debt to his former manager

The misuse of funds extended beyond these artists. DJ Marshmello received $9.9 million and claimed it all as "owner compensation," justified by his 2019 touring income exceeding that amount.

Senator Gary Peters called this "an abuse of federal resources," emphasizing that the relief was intended for struggling businesses and workers, not wealthy celebrities.

While the Small Business Administration reports recovering $43 million in wrongfully awarded grants, an estimated $6 billion remains under review. Despite creating a recovery team, public records suggest no staff had been assigned to it as of September.

Related Articles

Previous Articles