A recent report has highlighted the involvement of several prominent musicians in a federal grant program designed to assist businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Chris Brown’s touring company, CBE Touring, reportedly received $10 million, with claims suggesting that $5.1 million was personally taken by Brown. Similarly, the DJ known as Marshmello was awarded $9.9 million, although his business manager claimed that all the funds were stolen.
The multi-platinum band Alice in Chains is said to have received a $4.1 million grant, with a significant portion, $3.4 million, allocated to its main members. Notably, the band had previously supported their guitar technician’s medical expenses through a GoFundMe campaign due to his cancer diagnosis. Other artists like Rae Sremmurd and Steve Aoki also benefited from the grant program. While Business Insider reached out for comments, many of the artists named remained silent, and some exhibited inappropriate behavior towards reporters.
To be eligible for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG), applicants needed to demonstrate a genuine belief that the funds were crucial for maintaining operations and show a revenue drop of at least 25% compared to the same quarter in 2019. Notably, the program did not consider applicants’ assets, allowing wealthy individuals to apply for assistance.
Senator Gary Peters expressed concern over the conduct linked to these grants, referring to it as an “abuse of federal resources” and calling for more oversight. Former Auditor General David Walker remarked on the ambiguity surrounding the legality of the actions, stating that whether it constitutes fraud is a matter for the courts to decide, though he indicated the behavior raises serious ethical questions.