Latest news with #GuySebastian
News.com.au
10 hours ago
- News.com.au
‘Hardest time in my life': Guy Sebastian's former manager Titus Day made accounting ‘mistakes' after his mother became ill
Guy Sebastian's former manager 'made mistakes' in accounting towards the end of the pair's tumultuous relationship because his mother had become ill, the period marking the 'hardest time in (his) life'. Titus Emanuel Day is standing trial for allegedly embezzling $640,000 of Mr Sebastian's royalties and performance fees, including the alleged failure to remit $187,000 to Mr Sebastian for performance fees as a support act for Swift on her 2013 Red tour of Australia and other corporate gigs and performances. Mr Day has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of embezzlement as a clerk or servant and one count of attempting to dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception. He has denied doing anything fraudulent or dishonest. Mr Day took the stand to give evidence-in-chief on Friday, telling the court how issues had begun to 'creep in' to his management company, 6 Degrees, as a result of pressure sparked by his mother's declining health around 2016. He told the court his mother was diagnosed with advanced Alzheimer's dementia around 2015. By the time she came to live with he and his family in 2016 she was so ill she was in a 'zombie state', prompting his wife, Courtney, to effectively step aside from her work at the company to care for his mother. The court was told his wife played a 'critical' role at 6 Degrees, with her duties ranging across creative work such as video clips, music production, songwriting production and dealing with record labels: when she left, Mr Day had to 'pick up all the slack' and delegate work to other staff. Another high level employee also had to step aside to care for Mr Day's mother at one point. 'Personally this was probably the hardest time in my life,' Mr Day told the court. He said all of his clients 'suffered' as a result, and that he'd made some accounting 'mistakes' during this period and could no longer be with clients on tours. 'Because my attention was taken away, but also spread thin, it affected all my clients - all my clients suffered,' Mr Day told the court. 'My accounting slipped, I wasn't able to send statements or invoices…I made mistakes in transactions and banking descriptions.' He spoke of one example where he accidentally paid Mr Sebastian money from another of his clients, Nigerian-Australian singer Timomatic, and then paid Timomatic money from Mr Sebastian. '(I) made a lot of mistakes on banking descriptions…a lot of issues started to creep into the company because of the pressure,' Mr Day said. Mr Day's barrister, Thomas Woods, earlier told the court that there would be 'no dispute' that on some occasions his client should have transferred money onto Mr Sebastian 'but did not'. 'For many of the charges, the real question is not going to be whether my client failed to transfer the money to Sebastian but whether his failure to do that was criminal,' Mr Woods said. The former manager's evidence-in-chief regarding the 'mistakes' mentioned on Friday is expected to continue next week. Mr Day has denied doing anything fraudulent or dishonest. In terms of business growth, Mr Day told the court 2016 was the company's busiest and most successful time, having taken on a range of clients across music, sports and media. He said it was an 'extremely busy' time and he was personally receiving more than 300 emails per day, acknowledging he had 'a lot less' time to devote to Mr Sebastian as opposed to the early years of their agreement. The 'really big shift' in the pair's relationship Mr Sebastian moved over to Mr Day's management company 6 Degrees three years after winning Australian Idol, having worked with him previously at Mr Day's former agency, 22 Management. No formal agreement was signed, but the court was told their agreement was based on Mr Sebastian's former arrangement with 22 Management. The Battle Scars singer, who was once so close with Mr Day he considered them to be a 'a family of sorts', earlier claimed he'd sent several emails to Mr Day around 2016 over concerns with their relationship, telling the court there was a 'really big shift' between them around that time. In particular Mr Sebastian claimed documents, statements and invoices 'were not being sent anymore'. 'That side of it and then some cultural issues that were happening as well and just a general shift in the service I was being provided,' Mr Sebastian previously told the court. 'I understand (6 Degrees) were getting busier as a company and that the list of clients had grown … that was starting to have some real ramifications on my business and personally as well. 'I was trying really hard to remedy these issues.' Mr Sebastian told Mr Day that he was leaving his management in 2017, the court was previously told. Mr Sebastian launched Federal Court proceedings against Mr Day the following year. He in turn filed a counterclaim.
News.com.au
11-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Pop star Guy Sebastian's email revealed in Titus Day trial
Guy Sebastian personally negotiated a release from his contract to join manager Titus Day's new company in 2009 before their relationship ultimately soured, a court has been told. Mr Day is standing trial in the NSW District Court accused of embezzling more than $600,000 from the Aussie pop star. It's alleged that Mr Day failed to pay Mr Sebastian performance fees and royalties that were collected by his 6 Degrees talent agency, including $187,000 for performance fees when the Australian Idol winner supported Taylor Swift on her 2013 tour of Australia. Mr Day has denied doing anything dishonest or fraudulent and is fighting the allegations. He has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of embezzlement as a clerk or servant and one count of attempting to dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception. The court has been told that Mr Sebastian first became involved with Mr Day when he signed with the 22 Management company early in his career. At the time, Mr Day worked for 22 Management, which was owned by Sean Anderson. Then, in early 2009, Mr Day told Mr Anderson that he was looking to form his own company, the court was told on Wednesday. 'He indicated to me that he was looking for something a little bit more than an employee role and whether I was open to a partnership or bringing him in as a partner in the business,' Mr Anderson told the jury on Wednesday. 'I indicated I wasn't quite ready to do that and so he said he was looking to start his own business. And I encouraged him to do it.' And when Mr Day formed 6 Degrees and went out on his own, Mr Anderson said Mr Sebastian followed Mr Day because of their close relationship. 'Guy indicated he had formed a great relationship with Titus and he wanted to follow Titus, which I expected would happen,' Mr Anderson said. 'I didn't have anyone in the business that had the music skills that Titus had, so I then negotiated a release from my contract with Guy and he left shortly after.' The court was told that 22 Management had a written contract with Mr Sebastian, but Mr Anderson had since not been able to find a copy. The court was told that Mr Sebastian's contract with 22 Management was due to expire in April 2010; however, he negotiated a release to join Mr Day when he went out on his own to found 6 Degrees. The jury on Wednesday heard details of a mid-2009 email exchange between Mr Anderson and Mr Sebastian as they negotiated the terms of the singer's exit from his managerial contract. Initially, Mr Anderson proposed that 22 Management be given a percentage of Mr Sebastian's gross income for the next two years – 10 per cent on the first year and 5 per cent on the following year. However, Mr Day replied saying that 22 Management was only entitled to 20 per cent of all gross income up until April 2010 and after that a 'trailing commission' on any work done that was negotiated by Mr Anderson's business. The court was told that 'trailing commissions' were negotiated by managers to cover them for their investment in young and up-and-coming performers in the event they become successful and later leave to join new management. It prompted Mr Anderson to propose new terms, including a 15 per cent split to 22 Management and a 5 per cent split to 6 Degrees as well as trailing commissions. 'Titus should be doing somersaults with this outcome, if I was able to go out on my own and take the marquee client with me and earn commissions from day one, I'd be buying lottery tickets,' Mr Anderson wrote to Mr Sebastian in an email, the court was told. Mr Anderson also asked Mr Sebastian to perform at his 40th birthday free of charge, which he agreed to do as part of their amicable split, the court was told. The terms of Mr Sebastian's contract with 22 Management have been a key part of the trial. During his evidence, Mr Sebastian was grilled by Mr Day's defence about his deal with Mr Day in the early days of his contract. Mr Day's barrister Thomas Woods suggested to Mr Sebastian that he had agreed to 'look after' Mr Day down the track 'by compensating him for the lost commission during this early period' in 2009 when he was only earning 5 per cent. Mr Sebastian, during his evidence to the court last week, denied the assertion. '(Mr Day) wanted more than 5 per cent for that period but couldn't get it because of your arrangement with (22 Management) – you would look after him down the track when you were in a stronger financial position, and that was then what you did. That's what I'm suggesting to you,' Mr Woods said. 'Firstly, that's completely false … their agreement was a 15-5 agreement, and that was between them,' Mr Sebastian replied at the time. 'The concept that in 2014, that where I was already paying a lot of commission to Titus … that seems really ridiculous to me.'
News.com.au
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Titus Day trial: New details on Guy Sebastian's meeting with former manager as bitter dispute unfolded
Guy Sebastian's former manager claimed the pop star went on a 'monologue' about the manager's failures as the pair's relationship deteriorated into a bitter dispute, a court was told. Titus Emanuel Day is standing trial for allegedly embezzling $640,000 of Sebastian's royalties and performance fees, including the alleged failure to remit performance fees for his work supporting Taylor Swift on her 2013 Red tour of Australia and other corporate gigs and performances. Mr Day has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of embezzlement as a clerk or servant and one count of attempting to dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception. He has denied doing anything fraudulent or dishonest. Sebastian moved over to Mr Day's management company 6 Degrees three years after winning Australian Idol, having worked with him previously at Mr Day's former agency, 22 Management: no formal agreement was signed at 6 Degrees, but the court was told their agreement was based on Sebastian's former arrangement with 22 Management. The pair, once so close Sebastian considered them to be 'a family of sorts', experienced a 'really big shift' in their relationship by 2016, with Sebastian claiming documents, statements and invoices 'were not being sent anymore'. Having 'grievances' with his former manager, the court was told Sebastian met with Mr Day at a cafe towards the end of 2017. Mr Day's barrister, Thomas Woods, on Monday suggested Sebastian had spoken 'more or less continuously for half an hour' during the meeting, prompting Mr Day to say words to the effect of 'I'm willing to discuss the issues, but I'm not willing to sit here and listen to a monologue from you about all my failures'. 'I do not recall that, no,' Sebastian replied. The Battle Scars singer also denied suggestions he'd agreed to pay Mr Day commissions he was asking for if he could show they were payable as per his former agreement with 22 Management by way of a 'handshake agreement' at the 2017 meeting. 'Definitely not, no — you couldn't come up with a more completely opposite version of what happened in that meeting,' Sebastian said. 'The purpose of that meeting was I was actually trying to avoid being negative about it and trying to come to some kind of peaceful ending to everything where Titus would provide some accounting for what was missing.' The court was told Mr Day was pushing for commissions to be paid to him after the pair parted ways professionally, however Sebastian and his lawyer at the time maintained there were no post-term commission arrangements. Sebastian later told the court he was happy to pay commission for anything Mr Day had worked Woods earlier told the court that there would be 'no dispute' that on some occasions his client should have transferred money onto Sebastian 'but did not'. 'For many of the charges, the real question is not going to be whether my client failed to transfer the money to Sebastian but whether his failure to do that was criminal,' Mr Woods said. Sebastian told Mr Day he was leaving his management in 2017, the court was previously told. Sebastian launched Federal Court proceedings against Mr Day the following year. He in turn filed a counterclaim.
Daily Mail
04-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Why Guy Sebastian discussed his tour with Taylor Swift in court as his former manager faces trial
Guy Sebastian has told a court how thrilled he was to be the opening act for global pop superstar Taylor Swift during her Australian Red Tour. But what was meant to be a career highlight soon became the centre of a messy legal battle with his former manager. The Aussie Idol winner, 42, took the stand in the NSW District Court on Wednesday, recounting how 'honoured' he felt when ex-manager Titus Day informed him in 2013 that he'd secured the coveted support slot on Swift's stadium shows Down Under. 'I was alerted to the fact that I was to be supporting Taylor Swift, which obviously is a big deal – Taylor's a huge artist, and it was a massive get to get that tour,' Mr Sebastian said, according to Newswire. 'I was really honoured.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The court heard that unlike his own tours - which Sebastian admitted 'weren't fruitful' financially, due to him footing the bill - the Swift gigs were set to be lucrative, with a guaranteed payment locked in. 'This was an opportunity where it was a guaranteed sum I was being paid,' he explained. Keen to put on a standout performance, Sebastian said he flew in a close friend to join him on stage and spent a significant amount assembling a high-calibre band. 'I really made that band as slamming as I possibly could and wanted to do a really good job of this,' he said. While he was due to earn around $500,000 from the tour, Sebastian said approximately $180,000 went towards costs, including his hand-picked band. However, things quickly turned sour when Sebastian discovered a chunk of that money was allegedly never paid to him. The court heard a total of $494,000 was transferred by a booking agent into the account of Mr Day's company, 6 Degrees Management. The Crown alleges that after taking his $59,000 commission, Day should have passed on $435,000 to Sebastian. Instead, it's claimed the singer only received $247,500 – meaning a further $187,000 allegedly went missing. Sebastian told the court he was initially led to believe the remainder of the funds would follow shortly after. 'Within seven or 14 days, but it was clearly indicated to us when the $247,000 was transferred that there was going to be a reconciliation on weeks of the whole tour … we were told that the full reconciliation would be done really soon,' he said. He added that his bookkeepers repeatedly requested those figures so they could complete his tax return, but the full breakdown 'was never received'. Despite the missing money, Sebastian admitted he didn't immediately push for answers. 'In the years following, I assumed it was taken care of,' he told the court. Day's barrister, Thomas Woods, last week conceded that his client did fail to pass on money to Sebastian on some occasions, but claimed the core legal issue is whether the conduct was criminal. 'For many of the charges, the real question is not going to be whether my client failed to transfer the money to Sebastian but whether his failure to do that was criminal,' Woods said. Sebastian signed with Mr Day's 6 Degrees management company in 2006 – three years after winning Australian Idol. The pair had previously worked together at 22 Management. While the relationship began positively, Sebastian told the court that ongoing issues over statements and payments eventually led to him cutting ties with Day in 2017. The singer launched Federal Court action against his ex-manager the following year. Day later filed a counterclaim.
News.com.au
04-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Titus Day trial: Guy Sebastian ‘honoured' to support Taylor Swift
Guy Sebastian has revealed how excited he was to support global pop star Taylor Swift on her 2013 tour while taking the stand in the trial of his former manager, who is accused of embezzling $640,000 from Mr Sebastian. Titus Emanuel Day is standing trial for allegedly embezzling $640,000 of Mr Sebastian's royalties and performance fees. This includes the alleged failure to remit $187,000 to Mr Sebastian for performances fees as a support act for Swift on her 2013 Red tour of Australia. It's alleged that Mr Sebastian was also not paid for corporate gigs, performances at the Sydney Opera House, a Big Bash game and Dreamworld and for singing at weddings in Italy and Sydney. Mr Day has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of embezzlement as a clerk or servant and one count of attempting to dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception. He has denied doing anything fraudulent or dishonest. Mr Sebastian told the NSW District Court on Wednesday that he was 'very excited' when Mr Day told him he'd be opening for Swift on her Red tour of Australia in December 2013. 'I was alerted to the fact that I was to be supporting Taylor Swift, which obviously is a big deal – Taylor's a huge artist, and it was a massive get to get that tour,' Mr Sebastian told the court. 'I was really honoured.' Supporting Swift was unlike tours of his own, he said, which at times 'weren't fruitful', as he had to cover all the costs. 'This was an opportunity where it was a guaranteed sum I was being paid,' he explained. Mr Sebastian told the court that he 'wanted to do a really good job' and had even flown in a friend of his to perform alongside him. 'I really made that band as slamming as I possibly could and wanted to do a really good job of this,' he said. Mr Sebastian was going to be paid about $500,000 for the tour but had to pay costs of about $180,000 that included the price of pulling the 'slamming' band together. The court was previously told about $494,000 was paid into an account of Mr Day's 6 Degrees management company by a booking agent following the Swift tour. The Crown alleges Mr Day was entitled to a $59,000 commission, leaving Mr Sebastian the remaining $435,000. However, Mr Day allegedly failed to remit $187,000, with Mr Sebastian only paid about $247,5000. Mr Sebastian told the court on Wednesday that money was supposed to be remitted within a week or two of any performance. 'Within seven or 14 days, but it was clearly indicated to us when the $247,000 was transferred that there was going to be a reconciliation on weeks of the whole tour … we were told that the full reconciliation would be done really soon,' Mr Sebastian told the court. He claimed there were several attempts from his bookkeepers to try to understand the reconciliation for the performances in order to complete a tax return; however, this allegedly was 'never received'. In the years following, Mr Sebastian said he 'assumed it was taken care of'. Mr Day's barrister, Thomas Woods, last week told the court that there would be 'no dispute' that on some occasions his client should have transferred money onto Mr Sebastian 'but did not'. 'For many of the charges, the real question is not going to be whether my client failed to transfer the money to Mr Sebastian but whether his failure to do that was criminal,' Mr Woods said. Mr Sebastian signed with Mr Day at his management company 6 Degrees three years after he won Australian Idol, having previously worked with him at Mr Day's former agency, 22 Management. Despite initially being happy with the arrangement, Mr Sebastian and his team were often chasing statements and clarification on payments before he told Mr Day he was leaving his management in 2017, the court was previously told. Mr Sebastian launched Federal Court proceedings against Mr Day the following year. He in turn filed a counterclaim.
