Sheesh. The fallout between Justin Bieber and Scooter Braun isn’t just emotional—it’s financial, and now backed by numbers. A deep dive into the pair’s business breakup reveals a complex money trail and a newly surfaced audit that says the pop star is millions in the red… to his former manager.
Okay, according to an in-depth report from our friends at TMZ, the tension between Bieber and Braun escalated following Bieber’s Justice world tour collapse in 2022. Insiders allege that Bieber owed $24 million to promoter AEG after abruptly canceling shows, despite pocketing a $40 million advance.
Get this, to help stabilize the situation, Braun’s company, Hybe, stepped in and covered the debt. In exchange, Bieber signed a 10-year promissory note to repay the amount. However, sources say he only made one payment before halting further reimbursements, citing financial hardship.
As the big money dispute gained traction, Bieber’s business manager, Lou Taylor, launched an internal review. Her findings? Braun had allegedly received $26 million in excessive commissions over the years.
Moreover, Hybe quickly responded with its internal audit, which painted a starkly different picture. Their review concluded Braun had been underpaid by $1 million. Braun reportedly chose not to pursue the amount, but the singer’s camp remained skeptical, accusing the company of acting in its own interest.
To bring objectivity to the standoff, Hybe brought in accounting powerhouse PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). After a six-month investigation, PwC issued its final report in April. The verdict: Bieber still owes Braun approximately $8.8 million.
According to TMZ, Bieber’s team did not challenge PwC’s findings but opted to conduct their own audit. The results of that review, however, have not been made public.
What began as a high-profile split has now evolved into a legal and financial saga, one that could reshape the narrative of one of music’s most iconic artist-manager partnerships. Whether that holds true, remains to be seen.
Either way, big shout out to the Biebs!