Rihanna was “Stupid in Love” — and broke in reality.
The singer claims her former accountant recommended dumb decisions that caused her to squander a fortune and left her “effectively bankrupt” by the end of 2009.
The Barbadian beauty, who recorded hits like “Stupid in Love” the same year, says in new court papers she had $11 million in cash when 2009 began and just $2 million when it ended.
To make matters worse, her expenses doubled during that time, according to the new documents in the Manhattan Federal court lawsuit she filed in 2012 against the number crunchers.
The 25-year-old pop star, whose real name is Robyn Fenty, says accountant Peter Gounis of Berdon LLP recommended she purchase a $7.5 million Beverly Hills mansion in 2009 — so she went ahead and bought it.
Soon enough, the “Run This Town” crooner was running into serious financial trouble.
“Mr. Gounis advised Ms. Fenty that she could afford to purchase [the home] at a time when Ms. Fenty was in financial dismay,” her court documents say.
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Rihanna claims this mansion she bought on the advice of her accountant was filled with mold and other problems, and that she had to sell it at a $2 million loss.
“In 2009, Ms. Fenty was ‘running out of cash’ and Mr. Gounis knew this,” the papers say, quoting a deposition in Rihanna’s federal breach of contract and negligence lawsuit.
“Ms. Fenty’s accounts were so diminished that requested wire transfers would not go through. In fact, Ms. Fenty was effectively bankrupt at the end of 2009.”
The mansion turned out to be a bad deal, Rihanna claims.
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The Rihanna album ‘Rated R’ came out in 2009, the same year the singer claims in a lawsuit that she lost $9 million thanks to poor financial advice.
It was filled with mold, leaks and other problems, and she ended up selling it for a $2 million loss, her lawsuit says.
“Mr. Gounis was fully apprised of Ms. Fenty’s financial condition, yet, nonetheless, failed to advise her that the purchase would be unwise,” her new court papers say. “In fact, in or around March 2009, defendants advised Ms. Fenty by email that purchasing a home in Los Angeles ‘would be a good investment.’ ”
The “Umbrella” singer also says the accountants failed to warn her that her “Last Girl on Earth Tour” that year was likely to lose money. She fired the firm in 2010.
“These allegations are false,” Thomas Manisero, a lawyer for Berdon LLP, said Wednesday. “Berdon acted properly concerning Ms. Fenty’s affairs.”
Rihanna’s problems in 2009 went beyond financial. In February, she and singer Chris Brown were leaving a pre-Grammy party when she and Brown began fighting.
It ended up with Brown choking her unconscious.
Since then, Rihanna has certainly bounced back and is now worth around $43 million.
In December, Gounis slammed her in court papers, saying the celebrity blew her cash on clothes, jewelry and private jets.
“At the core of her claim is this belief: someone else is responsible for her conduct and its consequences,” he said in court papers.
His lawyers didn’t return a request for comment Wednesday.
via@NYDaily