Chandler Moore Sues Former Band Maverick City Music And Its CEO, Alleges Fraud In Explosive Lawsuit

Grammy-winning Christian artistChandler Moore has filed a lawsuit against his former band, Maverick City Music, and its CEO, Norman Gyamfi, claiming he was swindled out of millions of dollars in fraudulent business deals.

Shortly after the lawsuit became public, Maverick City Music's co-founder, Jonathan Jay, released his own statement, fiercely denying the serious allegations leveled against the band.

According to a report from Billboard, Moore, who joined the group during its inception in 2018, filed a lawsuit against Maverick City Music in Atlanta federal court on October 1.

According to the legal documents, Moore's lawsuit names several corporations, including Maverick City Music, its label, TRIBL Records, and Gyamfi, who served as Moore's personal manager before becoming the band's CEO in 2023.

The lawsuit wastes no time informing the court that Moore believes he's been swindled by Gyamfi and that the CEO "abused his power and the trust that Moore bestowed upon him."

The documents go on to state that things between Moore and Gyamfi began to sour in 2021, when the latter allegedly sold Maverick City Music's masters to The Orchard, a subsidiary of Sony Music, without informing Moore that he would receive financial compensation from the deal.

Moore claims that Gyamfi directed Essential Music Publishing, Sony Music's Christian music publishing division, to pay the entirety of Moore's songwriting royalties to the band instead of him, and further claimed that Gyamfi allegedly forged his signature to make it happen.

In the lawsuit, Moore also states that Gyamfi and his business partners allegedly withheld more than $800,000 in royalties due to him under his new contract, despite his fulfillment of obligations that included releasing new music and completing a tour.

Ultimately, Moore claims in the lawsuit that Gyamfi stole millions of dollars from him during a portion of his time with Maverick City Music and also accused him of serious crimes, including "breach of contract" and "forgery and conversion."

Moore's lawyer, Sam Lipshie, released a statement on October 7, saying their firm is "privileged to represent Chandler Moore," later describing him as an "extraordinary artist and human being."

"Like many talented creators and performers, Chandler has faced situations where his trust and talent were taken advantage of in various ways," said Lipshie. "We are fully committed to helping Chandler recover what is rightfully his, resolve outstanding legal matters, and assist him in moving forward freely to continue building the even-brighter, impactful career that lies ahead for him."

Maverick City Music co-founder, Jonathan Jay, released a statement on the band's official Instagram account, fiercely denying the allegations against himself, the band, and his business partner, Gyamfi.

"To be clear: the claims being made against me, against Norman, and against our companies are categorically false," the statement read. "Our business dealings with Chandler were forthright, generou,s and above reproach. We acted in good faith, gave more than what was required, and consistently extended grace. Any allegations of misdeeds are simply not true, and we welcome a full and honest examination, because the truth will speak for itself."

In an emotional post shared online, Moore announced his departure from Maverick City Music, stating that he has spent the last two years intentionally focusing on his life and career.

He called the decision "bittersweet" before thanking the fans for their support, which helped the group achieve incredible success.

"This transition isn't easy," he wrote. "Maverick is something I poured my heart into, so it's almost like saying goodbye to your own kid, ha."

Moore continued, "I know there may be press and conversation around certain business matters that my legal team is handling. But my heart, my energy, and my focus are on what's ahead."

He concluded, "The dream hasn't changed. I'm stepping into this next phase ready to share my story and make music that helps people feel a little more human, a little more understood, and a little less alone."

Moore was met with much love in the comment section of his post, with one writing, "Love you, bro! Thank you for inviting me to play a small part of such a powerful movement," while another posted, "Thank you for great songs and moments with God. Thank you, Chandler."

A third user called the singer a "worldchanger," and a fourth called his music-making ability "a special anointing."