Drake’s former manager couldn’t escape the long arm of Uncle Sam.
According to the New York Daily News, Aspire Music Group co-founder Derrick Lawrence was sentenced to eight months in prison Monday for neglecting to file his personal tax returns from 2009 to 2011. The music executive pleaded guilty to three counts of tax evasion in April 2017; however, he told the court that his crime was not intentional.
“It was never a disrespect to the government. It was a lack of knowledge,” Lawrence said, according to the Daily News. “It’s my fault for not following up with my accountants who I hired.”
Lawrence reportedly made $2.2 million within that three-year time period, and ended up owing about $750,000 in back taxes. According to the Daily News, the music mogul still owes the IRS about $600,000; however, his attorney Stacey Richman said she is confident Lawrence will be able to pay off his debt in no time, as he’s a well-respected, hardworking figure within the industry.
Lawrence, who has also worked with big-name acts like Lil Wayne, reportedly began managing Drake in 2008. Several years later, James “Jas” Prince sued Lawrence for breach of a verbal agreement in which he was allegedly promised a finder’s fee for Drake as well as a management position. Aspire Music Group, Cortez Bryant, Laurant Management, Three Kings, and Gerald Roberson were also listed as defendants.
