Alice In Chains, Marshmello and Lil Wayne accused of exploiting Covid-19 relief grants
The Covid-19 pandemic was a difficult time for the live music industry. To combat the issues, programmes were in place to help with the negative effects of this, but it has now been alleged that artists like Alice In Chains, Marshmello, and Lil Wayne exploited those schemes for financial gain.
President Donald Trump signed the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant into law in 2020. The grant was established to provide relief to businesses involved in the live music industry, predominantly venues. The relief fund stated that the money was there to help artists and venues cover “ordinary and necessary” expenses.
A recent report from Business Insider, however, alleges that artists soon found ways of exploiting the grant, claiming millions of dollars of taxpayer money through personal businesses. Rapper Chris Brown, for instance, claimed $10 million via his CBE Touring, but half of that money went to the hip-hop artist directly.
Multiple other artists took money from this grant in defiance of its intended purpose. Lil Wayne was another, claiming $8.9 million from the relief fund. Rather than using the money to cover the expenses of his staff, who were no longer able to work, Wayne reportedly used the money for things like private jets, luxury hotel rooms, and designer clothing.
DJ Marshmello, Christopher Comstock’s alias, was said to have received $9.9 million as a result of the grant. Although the money was claimed through his touring company, his business manager, Steven Macauley, was reported as saying that it went directly to Comstock.
Seattle grunge outfit Alice In Chains claimed $4.1 million through their company AIC Entertainment. According to data, the band used some of the money to pay staff and contractors but also pocketed a hefty sum themselves. The group also allegedly refused to cover health insurance for their staff, which left guitar tech and photographer Scott Dachroeden forced to set up a GoFundMe after being diagnosed with cancer in 2022.
Responding to these revelations of relief fund abuse, the chair of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Senator Gary Peters, said these musicians were guilty of “an abuse of federal resources.” While technically not illegal, former comptroller general David Walker said, “Whether it’s legal or not is up to a lawyer or ultimately to a court. But it sure smells.”
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