Lou Pearlman, the record producer who founded such popular 90s and 2000s boy bands as the Backstreet Boys, NSYNC and O-Town, has died in prison at the age of 62.
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Pearlman was serving a 25-year sentence in federal prison at the time of his demise-in 2008 he was convicted of defrauding investors and backs in a massive $300 million Ponzi scheme. Billboard reported that “N-Sync” member Lance Bass Tweeted that though his former manager wasn’t a stand up businessman, he wouldn’t be in the music industry without his big influence.
Aaron Carter, another former Pearlman client, stated that “karma is real” in his reaction to Pearlman’s death.
“Aaron Carter, Nick Carter’s brother and a solo artist who was also managed by Pearlman, posted on Twitter, “#LouPearlman my old manager died in prison. He was sentenced to 25 years two months later.
– KiD CaRTer (@aaroncarter) August 21, 2016 Mixed emotions right now, but RIP Lou Pearlman.
With Pearlman at the helm, the Backstreet Boys shot to stardom in 1996 and became one of the top-selling boy bands, selling more than 130 million records, according to the band’s website.
“I hope he found some peace”, Justin Timberlake wrote.
PEOPLE reports, he never paid any of the money.
In 2006 it was discovered that Lou Pearlman was behind an elaborate Ponzi scheme that ripped off over $300 million from investors. It’s a shame he let his greed get in his way. The Backstreet Boys still remains a strong act and out of NSYNC arose one of the most celebrated musicians of our time, Justin Timberlake.
– The man responsible for launching millions of teenage love affairs with boy bands like NSYNC and Backstreet Boys has died.
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USA singer Aaron Carter, younger brother of Nick, also took to the platform, writing that he wasn’t ‘the best business guy really at all but he did discover me’.
