Earlier this week, Chandler Moore and Naomi Raine, two founding members of Maverick City Music, announced in separate social media posts that they were leaving the worship music collective. It has now been revealed that Moore is suing Norman Gyamfi, Moore’s former manager and Maverick City Music’s current CEO, for allegedly defrauding Moore out of millions in royalties.
According to Billboard, the civil suit was filed in an Atlanta federal court on Oct. 1. Moore announced his departure from Maverick City Music on Oct. 6.
“These last two years I’ve been locked in on what really matters…in my life and in my career,” Moore said of his departure. “It’s been scary at times, but it’s also been full of fresh vision and real excitement about the future. With that, I’ve made the bittersweet decision to end my relationship with Maverick City Music.”
The lawsuit lists Gyamfi as the defendant, but it also includes Maverick City Music and TRIBL Records as corporate entities. Gyamfi was Moore’s manager before buying a majority stake in Maverick City Music and becoming its CEO in 2023.
“Moore reposed great trust and confidence in and accepted Gyamfi’s guidance in his business and financial decisions,” the lawsuit says. “Gyamfi, however, abused his power and the trust that Moore bestowed upon him.”
Moore is claiming that in 2021, Gyamfi brokered a deal to sell Maverick City Music’s masters to Orchard Enterprises, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment, without Moore’s knowledge and without disclosing that Gyamfi earned a commission on the deal.
Moore further alleges that in 2022, Gyamfi had royalties owed to Moore funneled directly to Maverick City Music and that Gyamfi forged Moore’s signature on a contract to do so.
Moore is also claiming that in 2024, Gyamfi and Maverick City Music withheld more than $800,000 in royalties that were promised in Moore’s contract after Moore had fulfilled his songwriting and touring obligations.
According to Moore, Gyamfi defrauded him of millions through these actions.
“Defendants’ greed, exploitation and misappropriation of Moore’s assets and intellectual property have deprived Plaintiffs of their contractually owed royalties, assets, monies and ownership interests,” the lawsuit says.
