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Image via Wikipedia
Sinead O’Connor is the latest high-profile artist to spotlight the wrongdoings of those responsible for handling her wealth. The singer harnessed the megaphone that is the internet to share an expository open letter addressed to Rita Zappador, her representation at Modus In Rebus Booking Agents.
She alleges that the company owes her 120,000 euros and that she only received a meager 500 euros for three concerts performed in Germany. A copy of that payment sheet is included below. Here is O’Connor’s first statement:
Ms Rita Zappador and Modus In Rebus Booking Agents
An official complaint has been made by me to the Irish police against you, for fraud against myself personally in the amount of approximately one-hundred and twenty thousand euro, almost the entire amount I earned for the last eighteen months’ touring, which I was defrauded by you into handing over upon cancelling the South American tour due to my son’s life threatening medical condition.
Myself and my accountant were knowingly and deliberately misled by you into believing I was ‘The Assured’ in the cancellation insurance policy and was therefore legally obliged to hand over this money.
You in fact were ‘The Assured’
I did not discover this fact until almost a month ago.
I have also made an official complaint against you for attempted fraud against Sebastian McClean International Insurers (by the deliberate non-disclosure of known pre-existing conditions) while representing me.
I have also made an official complaint against you for blackmail, by your refusal to pay myself and my band for Montreux and Lorrach because I wouldn’t cooperate with you in making a fraudulent claim on your fraudulently attained insurance policy.
The fraud detection unit of An Gardai Siochana will be in touch with all concerned parties shortly.
This is now officially a police matter and I reserve all rights
These are the two children whose money you defrauded from me.
Sinead O’Connor
And here’s her explanation of the aforementioned financial document, pictured at the bottom of this post, in which she describes her situation as financial “ass rape.”
Observe below… What I got paid for three shows in Germany, FIVE HUNDRED EURO as compared to what everyone else got paid. The last two figures on this list amount to what the agent Rita Zappador and Modus In Rebus got, €11,700.00. The €47,700.00 is the total of what my four and a half hours’ work generated. Pls note the document is page 9 of 7! This is the type of dodgy documents we are being provided with. This is the sodding insurance document !!!
In the end the agent didn’t even pay me the five hundred. SHE DOCKED ME FOUR THOUSAND! So my work generated almost €48k but cost me €4k. Pls note bands do not arrange these things themselves. One’s business managers and agents do. One trusts one is not being lied to when one is seduced to go on tour by being assured of earnings.
Our job is to shake our asses and sing nice. Management’s job is to fight off every cunt that wants to rip us off. MASSIVE negligence cases to be brought by me against every member of my now ex management team. Not only for the below but for several even more appalling and wreckless negligences, which have cost me hundreds of thousands of euro which I was illegally told was my obligation to pay, and it was NOT my legal obligation.
In short I have been ass raped by Rita Zappador and Modus in Rebus with the full (written, and totally behind my back, without my knowledge) support of Simon Napier Bell, Bjorn De Water and my now ex accountant. ALL of whom need to lawyer up, and get ready for the fraud squad.
Fraud and embezzlement are significant crimes that plague every industry, including the music business. The once-rampant behavior—in part responsible for Q-Tip’s infamous line pertaining to the shadiness of record labels—is still far too commonplace. It’s a problem that extends beyond the more typical, though necessary, lamenting of streaming services. We will update this story as more details emerge.
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Image via Sinead O’Connor
Related: Dave Byrne Shares Op-Ed Advocating for Streaming Revenue Transparency
