Steve Angello Sued For Fraud, Other Allegations; Plaintiffs Named

UPDATE ON NOVEMBER 2, 2016 AT 19:12 CENTRAL EUROPEAN TIME

Documents acquired by the publication Billboard Dance indicate that those suing Steve Angello are former Size Records executive vice president Jade Maxe Assad (referred to as “former business partner” in previous article) and New York DJ/producer Junior Sanchez (referred to as “artist colleague” in previous article). The two filed separate lawsuits in Los Angeles County court.

Per Billboard, Assad filed his suit on September 16 “citing breach of partnership agreement, promissory fraud, failure to pay wages, and unfair business practices, among others, with a hearing set for January 17, 2017.” Sanchez then filed his suit on September 21 for “fraud, breach of oral contract, and other charges,” with his hearing scheduled for February 21, 2017.

Jade Maxe Assad and Steve Angello have a long business history together, with Angello requesting Assad be “employed by Size Records … in 2012 as a business developer”. Their relationship began to sour in 2014, when Assad claims that Angello “wrongfully terminated his business”. Billboard says Assad “seeks all unpaid wages, compensatory and punitive damages, as well as loss of income in amounts to be proven in trial, the dissolution of Rebel Productions LLC, court costs, waiting time penalties, interest on unpaid wages, and all economic and general damages.”

Junior Sanchez claims that he was offered a 5% equity in Size Records and $3,000 a month in 2008. Sanchez worked for Angello under this deal from January 2014 through June 2016. Allegedly, Sanchez did not receive his salary nor his equity from the label from March 2016 to June 2016. After offering his services as a producer and artist recruiter to the label, Sanchez is “asking punitive damages in an amount proven by trial and the dissolution of Size LLC, and Size Records USA LLC., plus court and accounting costs,” per Billboard.

Overall, the damages sought by both parties could be valued at the $12.9 million figure referenced earlier.

H/T: Billboard

Editor’s Note: This updated version of the article clarifies the various ambiguities that exist in the first edition.

Per Swedish news outlet Expressen, ex-Swedish House Mafia member and Size Records boss Steve Angello has been sued by “an artist colleague and a former business partner” for 116 million Swedish Krona ($12.9 million, €11.7 million).

The lawsuit apparently charges the 33-year-old with “fraud, broken business contract and crimes against property management.” The former business partner alleges that “Angello‘s actions were deliberate and intentional, knowing that such behavior would damage the plaintiff”. The business partner’s lawyer remarked further that Angello concealed the fraud by “constantly repeating, and distorting information”

The second plaintiff, described as “the artist’s colleague,” alleged that he did not receive the monthly salary or “five percent stake in a company” as apparently promised by Angello. However, the Expressen report does not go into details about the company, nor the salary.

In a statement to Expressen, Steve Angello dismissed the suits as “a lot of fabrications and lies”. “I do not think about this. Had there been something serious, I [would have] been familiar with it. But I do not care. There are no grounds,” he went on to say. Angello said he filed counterclaims, however the court in Los Angeles where the suit was filed said it had received nothing.

“I have not put myself into that, my attorneys handle it. It will be submitted if it is not already included,” Angello said when contacted again by Expressen. The report also indicated that negotiations in the lawsuits will begin January 17 of next year.

H/T: Expressen | Dancing Astronaut