Gogol Bordello are reported to have filed legal proceedings against their own frontman over a mystery $500,000, amongst other things.
Guitarist Oren Kaplan has initiated the action ‘on behalf of himself and the group’s corporate entity’ against frontman Eugene Hutz due to what he claims is a ‘breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and unjust enrichment’, reports Billboard.
Kaplan claims Hutz ‘brazenly absconded with approximately half a million dollars from the bank accounts of the Gogol Bordello entities and deposited those funds into the accounts of new companies which are wholly owned by Hutz’, and is now seeking $950,000 in damages.
More accusations come from Kaplan in the form of a charge that Hutz has taken over the band’s business operations without providing any compensation or notice, while it also alleged that Hutz secured a promotional deal with Coca-Cola against the knowledge of the gypsy punk collective.
“Hutz accomplished this ruse by feigning concern for plaintiff (whose mother had just passed away) and encouraging plaintiff to take an extended leave of absence from the group, during the very time when the group would be recording its song for the Coca-Cola commercial,” Kaplan has alleged.