News Summary
'N Rage
'N Sync speak out angrily against their ex-manager.
'N TANGLEMENT 'N Sync, including (from left) Justin
Timberlake, Joey Fatone Jr., and Chris Kirkpatrick, talk
back in anger
by Josh Wolk
LAWSUIT 'N Sync have filed a $25 million countersuit
against their former mentor, Louis J. Pearlman, who
claimed in his own $150 million suit that the band was
in breach of contract for ditching him and BMG records
to join Jive Records. The boys tear Pearlman apart in
their suit, according to MTV News, claiming fraud,
breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duty. In
response to Pearlman's claims, the Sync-ers and even
their moms spoke out, with J.C. Chasez being the most
outspoken, calling Pearlman an ''unscrupulous, greedy''
businessman who ''while hugging us and calling us 'family'
was picking our pockets, robbing us of our future and
even endangering our health.'' (This in reference to
Lance Bass' hospitalization from exhaustion last May.)
He also claimed that Pearlman underpaid the group and
was taking as much as 50 percent of the band's royalties,
100 percent of all advances, and 25 percent of recording
income. Chasez wrapped up his argument by candidly
saying, ''We are painfully aware our careers may be
brief. In truth, our fans made us a success... an
injunction may be the end of 'N Sync. However we cannot
work with people who have lied to us.'' BMG and Trans
Continental Records (Pearlman's company) replied in a
joint statement that the band had ''invented facts.''
