According to the authorities, Taylor has been conned out of nearly $500,000 by a general contractor whom Taylor befriended when he was working on a neighbor's home.
- Aug 13, 2014
AceShowbiz - A general contractor who befriended legendary musician Cecil Taylor when working on the house of Taylor's neighbor in Brooklyn was arrested for allegedly conning the jazz pianist out of his $500,000 prize money, authorities said on Tuesday, August 12. According to prosecutor's office, the man named Noel Muir was charged with second-degree grand larceny and was waiting for arraignment on Tuesday morning in Brooklyn's criminal court.
The contractor's legal trouble started after the 85-year-old Taylor was awarded with Kyoto Prize by Japan's Inamori Foundation last year. Muir, who lives in Uniondale on New York's Long Island, allegedly accompanied Taylor when he visited the country in November.
Muir reportedly had the money sent to his company MCAI Construction's bank account instead of The Cecil Taylor Foundation. The $492,722.55 prize money arrived in the account two weeks after the ceremony.
"The defendant befriended Mr. Taylor and won his trust, which later made it easier for him to allegedly swindle this vulnerable, elderly and great jazz musician," district attorney Kenneth Thompson said, as reported by Reuters. The 54-year-old Muir may face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
