Lou Pearlman, the producer responsible for boy bands Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, died in prison while serving his 25-year sentence for a United States dollars 300 million Ponzi scheme.
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And it seems like the “Can’t Stop The Feeling!” singer is well aware of that fact too, as he took to Twitter on August 21 to mourn the loss of Lou, the man responsible for the creation of ’90s boy bands like NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons recently confirmed that Pearlman died on Aug 19, Friday due to an undisclosed illness. He was convicted in 2008 of fraud and swindling investors out of more than $300 million.
After running a business operating blimps, Pearlman started a record label, guiding the 1990s-era Backstreet Boys, whose hits included Quit Playing Games (With My Heart), and NSYNC, known for such songs as This I Promise You and I Want You Back.
“He might not have been a stand-up businessman, but I wouldn’t be doing what I love today w/out his influence”. Then, because sometimes lightning strikes multiple times, he did the exact same thing again and ended up with ‘N Sync-thereby launching the career of pop superstar Justin Timberlake.
Singer Aaron Carter, the younger brother of the Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter, shared similar thoughts.
Former *NSYNC band members Lance Bass and Chris Kirkpatrick also posted their reactions on Twitter.
Pearlman pleaded guilty under a plea agreement to federal charges of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, money laundering and presenting or using a false claim in a bankruptcy proceeding.
AJ McLean of the Backstreet Boys tweeted “Many emotions at the news of Lou’s passing”. But, if it weren’t for Lou Pearlman, we may have never been exposed to the amazingness that is JT.
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Pearlman was also manager of ‘NSync, who sold over 55 million – not including band-member Justin Timberlake’s enormous solo success. It’s a shame he let his greed get in his way.
