Alleged scammer disappears amid charges of bogus investment deals
By Christopher Zara
The man who was accused of scamming thousands of models and performers out of
their money is now facing financial problems of his own. Lou Pearlman, the
reviled promoter whose various talent scouting companies had been at the center
of an investigation for fraudulent activities, had his Florida home raided last
week after allegations that he cheated employees and investors out of more than
$317 million in a sham investor program through his Trans Continental Airlines.
Pearlman, of course, is best known for having created the boy-band craze of the
1990s with Orlando phenoms the Backstreet Boys and ‘N Sync. But it’s his various
talent scouting companies, which regularly change their names, that have earned
Pearlman a reputation as a scam artist who entices would-be models and
performers with empty promises of fame and fortune. Back in 2003, Pearlman’s
Wihelmina Scouting Network, Options Talent and Trans Continental Talent were at
the center of an attorney general’s two-year investigation after Florida
officials received more than 2,000 complaints stating that the operations were a
scam. More recently, Pearlman began operating under the name Fashion Rock, LLC,
which currently runs the Talent Rock industry networking events.
Despite Pearlman’s slimy reputation, Talent Rock has managed to attract both
local and national support. Currently, the New York-based Broadway Dance Center
and Dance Magazine are listed as sponsors on the company’s Web site. When asked
whether or not the latest allegations against Pearlman would affect Broadway
Dance Center’s decision to stay linked to the Talent Rock Web site, studio
director Diane King said the matter required further investigation. “We’ll
definitely look into this,” she added. Dance Magazine did not return a phone
call regarding its affiliation with the company.
The Orlando Sentinel recently reported that Pearlman has resigned from Trans
Continental Airlines. Talent Rock so far does not appear to be affected by the
latest allegations, so aspiring performers beware.