The Mary J. Blige and Steve Stoute Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now allegedly did not pay their bank loan and the salary of 30 musicians.
- May 28, 2012
AceShowbiz - Mary J. Blige is hit with two lawsuits at once. The Grammy-winning singer's charity The Mary J. Blige and Steve Stoute Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now is sued by TD Bank over unpaid loan. A group of artists also claimed they were not paid for performing at one of the charity's fundraising events.
TD Bank claimed in its lawsuit that the charity took out $250,000 in June 2011 but only paid $400 so far. The agreement was to pay it all back in December 2011 but the foundation only managed to give the small amount. The bank said they have sent the foundation two written notices in February but got no response.
As for the unpaid salary, a lawyer for the singing group said the checks given to the musicians bounced back. "We got a whole series of checks - rubber," Harvey Mars told NY Post. The lawsuit stated the foundation owed the group a total of $167,252 for wages and penalties.
In addition, reports said the non-profit organization has hundreds of thousands of dollars in missing donations and does not have an office or a valid telephone number.
A rep for Blige told TMZ, "The Mary J. Blige and Steve Stoute Foundation For The Advancement Of Women Now, Inc. (FFAWN) is presently transitioning its management and headquarters. We remain committed to our mandate of helping women gain the confidence and skills necessary to reach their full individual potential."
