Calvin Harris has accused his former financial advisor of stealing $22.5 million from him to fund a ‘boondoggle’ real estate development project in Hollywood.
The Scottish DJ, 41, has alleged that Thomas St. John, and his co-conspirators ‘systematically’ took advantage of him in an arbitration demand, filed on Friday at the Superior Court of California and obtained by PEOPLE.
In the demand, he accuses his financial advisor of 13 years, of coercing him to part with his cash to fund CMNTY Culture Campus, a development in California, that was to include recording studios, artists’ lounges, and office space.
Harris’ lawyers allege St. John started seeking investments for the project in early 2021, but became short on cash in 2023 and went to Harris – who is worth an eye-watering £250million – for an emergency cash infusion.
They claim St. John ‘did not reveal his true intentions’ and ‘provided no context or information whatsoever’, instead just sending Harris DocuSign forms to sign that were ‘materially misleading.’
According to the demand, the hitmaker invested $22.5 million in total into the project, in two parts – a $10 million loan and a $12.5 million equity investment.
Calvin Harris has accused his former financial advisor of stealing $22.5 million from him to fund a ‘boondoggle’ real estate development project in Hollywood
The Scottish DJ, 41, has alleged that Thomas St. John, and his co-conspirators ‘systematically’ took advantage of him in an arbitration demand (pictured performing last year)
Harris – real name Adam Richard Wiles – alleges that shortly after he made his investment, St. John caused the company to distribute $11.7 million to an entity that St. John controls.
Harris’ lawyers allege that the real estate investment ‘has been, at best, a complete boondoggle, and, at worst, a complete fraud.’
They went on: ‘To this day, Claimants do not know where Claimants’ investment has gone or what it has been used for.
‘In any event, Respondents had no intention of Mr. Wiles actually receiving back the full value of his investment, through distributions or otherwise.’
‘Mr. Wiles has not received a single penny in return for that investment, and, indeed, Respondents have not even started developing or building the project.’
Last year, the projects switched to creating ‘residential housing’ on the site due to ‘shifting market dynamics’, with the change allegedly not being discussed with Harris.
St. John’s attorneys claimed to Variety that Harris is one of several investors in the new project, that is set to include 750 apartments in two tower, with 90 being low-income units, as well as ‘outdoor, creative, and retail spaces’.
Sasha Frid, St. John’s attorney, gave a statement to the publication where she said Harris ‘actively pursued this development opportunity.’
According to the demand, the hitmaker invested $22.5 million in total into the project, in two parts – a $10 million loan and a $12.5 million equity investment
It comes just two months after Harris became a dad, welcoming a baby boy named Micah on July 20 with his wife Vick Hope (seen together in March)
She stated: ‘Unhappy with the pace of the project, he chose to pursue private arbitration to assert his discontent. It’s no secret that due to interest rates and other market factors real estate projects are taking longer to build.
‘But the development is very much viable and expected to have a $900+ million valuation when completed. Mr. St. John denies any wrongdoing.’
However, Harris’ legal team claim that he made the $10 million loan with the understanding it was to be repaid by January 31, 2025, but both the principal and interest remain unpaid.
The arbitration demand further alleges that when Harris asked for information about his funds, the respondents provided him with ‘scant (and sometimes contradictory) information’. St. John stepped down as Harris’ financial advisor in April this year.
It comes just two months after Harris became a dad, welcoming a baby boy named Micah on July 20 with his wife Vick Hope.
Harris announced the birth on Instagram last month, gushing: ‘My wife is a superhero and I am in complete awe of her primal wisdom! Just so grateful. We love you so much Micah’
Hope, 35, had a home water birth at their property in Ibiza, where she flew after beginning her maternity leave.
Harris announced the birth on Instagram last month, gushing: ’20th of July our boy arrived. Micah is here! My wife is a superhero and I am in complete awe of her primal wisdom! Just so grateful. We love you so much Micah.’
Alongside, he shared a candid photograph of his wife laying in the birthing pool and a tender shot of himself with Micah moments after his birth.
But the post raised several eyebrows, with the inclusion of a graphic photograph of Hope’s placenta, which was later turned into pills by drying and grinding the organ into a powder that’s then encapsulated.
