Media mogul and rapper 50 Cent remains on the attack against global premium spirits company Beam Suntory and the $6 million embezzlement lawsuit he’s filed against the company.
The lawsuit alleges that Beam Suntory was complicit in a scheme to overcharge his Sire Spirits for years, resulting in substantial financial losses for the artist-turned-entrepreneur.
Sire Spirits produces brands like Branson Cognac and Le Chemin du Roi champagne.
According to the 70-page complaint filed in New York, executives at Beam Suntory are accused of inflating costs related to Sire Spirits products, effectively siphoning off millions of dollars for their own gain.
The complaint, initially lodged in February 2023, contends that Beam Suntory’s actions went unnoticed for years, as the excessive charges were integrated into the product’s pricing structure. As a result, Sire Spirits purportedly overpaid on various expenses, including taxes, customs, and insurance, totaling around $6 million.
Don’t Play With 50
50 Cent took to social media on March 11 to express his determination to hold Beam Suntory accountable for their alleged actions. Posting on Instagram that “these big companies think they can get away with anything,” but reassuring his followers that he is not one to be trifled with.
“@beamsuntory is gonna pay for what they did trust me. 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,” the post read.
Furthermore, 50 Cent shared a letter purportedly sent by Beam Suntory to their business affiliates, which he claims was done without his knowledge. In the caption accompanying the post, he lambasted Beam Suntory and referred to their associates as “co-conspirators,” implying their involvement in the alleged scheme.
On social media he said, “This is the letter @beamsuntory sent without my knowledge to the people involved in the scheme that cost me millions. 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.”
“Now they’re at a point where they’re gong to see, everybody’s going to see. This noise affects them, they get really uncomfortable,” he told Fox 5 NY’s Lisa Evers in an exclusive interview.
“People are going to start looking at it, and it’s going to be a mess for them,” 50 Cent predicts.
Inside the Lawsuit
Depositions are currently underway in the New York State Supreme Court, with key figures such as former Beam Suntory Chief Commercial Officer Julious Grant and club promoter Michael “Lord Michael” Caruso.
The initial deposition under oath in the case involves Caruso, known for his past involvement as a government informant in the Peter Gatien Ecstasy drug trial (Gatien was a ’90s NYC club king charged with drug-racketeering). Sire Spirits’ attorney, Craig Weiner, alleges that Caruso received an annual payment of $500,000 from Beam Suntory and played a pivotal role in orchestrating the multi-million dollar kickback scheme.
“So you have Beam Suntory hiring Mr. Caruso, or should I call him “Lord Michael” as he likes to be known apparently, you have the two of them working together and conspiring in order to get Sire Spirits to buy it’s champagne and it’s cognac from parties that were given illicit and hidden commissions to them,” Weiner told New York TV station WNYW.
While Beam Suntory vehemently denies any wrongdoing, 50 Cent remains steadfast in his pursuit of justice, confident that he has the evidence to substantiate his claims.
“The claims brought by Mr. Jackson and Sire Spirits against Beam Suntory are false and baseless,” the company said in a statement to the Fox affiliate. “They are completely lacking in merit – and even more importantly, in evidence. Most of the allegations have already been dismissed. We will continue to vigorously defend ourselves and expect to prevail.”
50 Cent is convinced that there was a deliberate attempt to sabotage his company, Sire Spirits, as its failure would have concealed the alleged embezzlement scheme, which he estimates cost him millions of dollars.
“This is the type of stuff that happens, and slows down new companies when they’re coming in because I guess it prevents them from growing fast enough,” 50 Cent told WNYW.
Incidentally, in 2022, Mitchell Green, an employee at Sire Spirits, confessed to wire fraud for his involvement in the embezzlement plot. As the former brand manager, he acknowledged overpricing certain liquors, resulting in the misappropriation of $2.2 million. Consequently, he was dismissed from his position and instructed to reimburse the stolen amount.
