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50 Cent is fighting back after a liquor company allegedly stole millions of dollars and almost ruined his Sire Spirits brand.
According to a report FOX 5 New York published on Monday night, March 11, the multi-hyphenated artist accused liquor company Beam Suntory, who supplies his Branson cognac and Le Chemin du Roi champagne, of committing an embezzlement scheme that reportedly cost him at least $6 million. In a 70-page compliant that was filed with the New York State Supreme Court, Fif alleged Beam Suntory overcharged for the product and then split the profits.
"Because these illicit commissions were baked into the price of the product, Sire Spirits overpaid on taxes, overpaid on customs and duties, overpaid on insurance, which are marked towards the value of the product," Sire Spirits attorney Attorney Craig Weiner said. "Beam Suntory's role here is extraordinarily troubling. Beam Suntory's Chief Commercial Officer, a gentleman by the name of Julious Grant, acting as an employee, as an officer of the company, acting under the actual and parent authority of Beam Suntory facilitated the entire fraud as we plead in our complaint."
50 Cent also took to social media to share the details behind the lawsuit. In one post, he shared a letter that was sent without his knowledge to the defendants in the case.
"@beamsuntory is gonna pay for what they did trust me," 50 Cent wrote in his caption. "These big companies think they can get away with anything. It has cost me millions in legal fees. They are gonna find out I’m not the one you want to play with."
"This is the letter @beamsuntory sent without my knowledge to the people involved in the scheme that cost me millions," he continued. "Do I really need to hold a press conference to walk everyone through exactly what happened with convicted felon Mitchel E. Green, Julious Grant, Arnaud Fabre and the guy Beam paid millions of dollars to help sell my brands, 'Lord Michael' Caruso. This will make a great unscripted project."
Beam Suntory "vehemently denied" the allegations 50 Cent has made. In a statement they sent to FOX 5, the liquor company said they had no knowledge of the fraudulent activity and claimed the parties involved "continue to misrepresent the facts and misdirect blame in an attempt to recover fees and damages."