Hollywood Celebrities Used Taxpayer-Funded Pandemic Relief as Personal Piggybank, Spent on Balenciaga, Hookahs, Hooters-Style Waitresses, and P*rnstars
A damning report details how the taxpayer-funded pandemic relief program for businesses and independent artists organizations transformed into a cash grab for top Hollywood celebrities, who spent millions on luxury.
The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program aimed to support struggling ventures, a far cry from what it turned out to be.
“But pop stars used the program as a piggy bank to keep the party going, reporting by Business Insider shows.”
President Donald Trump signed the program into law before leaving office in 2020. It also received widespread support from leading political figures, including then-incoming Democratic Senate Majority Leader Senator Chuck Schumer.
According to Business Insider, Dwayne Carter Jr., aka Lil Wayne, received $8.9 million of the grant money. Instead of spending the full amount on supporting his business operations and paying staff, he blew $1.3 million on private jets and $460,000 on accessories and designer clothing brands such as Gucci and the infamous Balenciaga.
He also billed taxpayers nearly $88,000 for a New Year’s Eve concert in Coachella, California, which ultimately never happened after he bailed out at the last moment. Instead, he posted Instagram photos partying at Sunset Boulevard with another rapper, 2 Chainz.
Wayne also allegedly used another nearly $15,000 to cover flights and luxury hotel stays for mysterious women, including a Hooters-style waitress and a porn star.
Despite the government assistance, Wayne made $100 million in master record sales for his label artists. He also afforded a $15.4 million mansion in Los Angeles, California, suggesting he was far from struggling during the pandemic.
Another ranking Hollywood celebrity, Chris Brown, secured a $10 million grant for his company, CBE Touring. He diverted $5.1 million for personal use, of which he spent $80,000 for a lavish 33rd birthday party, which included a $3,650 LED dance floor and nude women in body paint.
BI reported that about $29,000 was spent on “hookahs, bottle service, ‘nitrogen ice cream,’” and damages on rented couches.
Chris also spent $179,000 on a charity baseball game and $24,000 on a one-month New Mexico bus tour, apparently without performing.
DJ Marshmello (Christopher Comstock) also secured a $9.9 million grant, which his manager claims went directly into his personal account.
While DJ Kid Millionaire Touring also used $2.4 million for “payroll costs,” a whopping $1.9 million went directly to his pocket as the only official.
Shinedown also received an $8.3 million grant and split the amount among themselves, with each of the three members pocketing $2.5 million.
Alice in Chains also received the grant money intended for struggling ventures despite making $48 million from its catalog sales.
Additionally, the entertainment management behemoth NKSFB secured $207 million for various clients, of which it retained $7 million.
Nonetheless, David Walker, a former comptroller general of the United States, told Business Insider he could not conclusively say if the expenses were fraudulent, leaving that decision to the courts. However, with the pandemic long gone, it is unlikely that the grants will audited.
Besides artists, fraudsters, politicians, and their spouses, including Nancy Pelosi’s husband Paul, also allegedly benefitted from the COVID-19 grants.
About $400 billion of taxpayers’ money was lost, including over $200 billion paid for fraudulent claims, while $123 billion was either lost or misappropriated, making the relief program one of the biggest scams in American history.
