Chris Brown’s promoter denies defrauding Iglesia Ni Cristo

Chris Brown

Chris Brown’s promoter has denied defrauding the influential Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) in a case that almost derailed his world tour, lawyers for the American hip-hop star’s business partner said on Friday.

Brown was left cooling his heels at a hotel room in Manila for three days last month as the immigration bureau stopped him from leaving the country over a concert row with the Iglesia ni Cristo.

The Canadian promoter, Michael Pio Roda, was arrested. He denies he and Brown received $1 million for a December 31 concert hosted by the sect last year in which the US R&B star was a no-show, his lawyers said in a statement to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Human rights violation

“To hold Mr. Pio Roda accountable for the entire $1 million… is not only without legal or factual basis but is a travesty of justice and a continued violation of human rights,” it added.

Iglesia-linked local concert producer Maligaya Development Corp. has asked the justice department to file criminal fraud charges against Brown and Roda for failing to show up at the concert even though they had been advanced their million-dollar fee.

Prosecutors are studying the fraud complaint to determine if criminal charges will be filed in court.

Brown did not attend the show due to a lost passport.

The tattooed and gold-toothed star performed at another concert in Manila last month, but was stranded in his hotel due to the fraud complaint.

Bizarre Internet videos

He lit up the Internet during his forced stay in Manila, posting bizarre videos where he break-danced and got down on his knees, begging the authorities to allow him to leave and resume his world tour.

Despite eventually being allowed to leave the country, the fraud complaint hearings against the hit-maker will proceed, authorities said.

A spokesperson for the Iglesia was unavailable on his mobile phone, while a Maligaya official declined comment when contacted by AFP.

His lawyers said Roda received just $45,000 from Maligaya.

He and Brown received another $578,750 in advance from another company involved in Brown’s show, J. Williams Management, the statement said.

However, there was already agreement between the parties that this will be repaid under a “compromise” signed last month before Brown’s Manila concert, it added. AFP

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