Artist Chandler Moore Sues Maverick City CEO Norman Gyamfi, Citing Forgery
In a blazing lawsuit that has stunned the Christian music world, Chandler Moore, the Grammy Award-winning worship singer from the collective Maverick City Music, has cut ties with CEO and former manager Norman Gyamfi.
Citing allegations of fraud, forgery and $800,000 in stolen royalties, the 33-page lawsuit came a week before Moore announced he was leaving the group on Oct 8.
“I’ve made the bittersweet decision to end my relationship with Maverick City Music,” Moore said on Instagram. “When we started Mav, I was grateful to have community and belonging while fulfilling my dream of making music that would help people experience God. And we did that … in ways I couldn’t have imagined.”
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“I know there may be press and conversation around certain business matters that my legal team is handling, but my heart, my energy, and my focus are on what’s ahead.”
Founded in 2018 by songwriters Tony Brown and Jonathan Jay, Maverick was a promising group of young Black musicians whose post-pandemic recordings had raised hopes for a revival in the gospel music world.
Moore’s announcement on Instagram failed to mention the details of the federal lawsuit, filed at the Georgia Northern District Court on October 1. It claims Gyamfi and his “corporate alter egos” took advantage of Moore as an artist and siphoned off millions of dollars owed to him.
“In his role as Moore’s manager, Gyamfi was involved in entering Moore into agreements that would negatively affect Moore’s financial interests, assets, and ownership of his created works, compositions, and master recordings,” the lawsuit states.
“Despite the fiduciary duties he owed to Moore, Gyamfi went on to secretly transfer Moore’s ownership and copyright interests in his works to Maverick City Music as well as broker a deal to convey Moore’s master recordings of songs created with Maverick City to the Orchard, a Sony Music Entertainment entity.”
Gyamfi hasn’t responded publicly, but Jonathan Jay, Gyamfi’s business partner, let it rip with a damning statement on Instagram.
“In light of the recent speculation, innuendo, and allegations made by Chandler Moore, I can’t remain silent,” he said. “Not when the truth is being distorted.”
Calling the claim “categorically false,” Jay placed the blame squarely with Moore.
“These aren’t misunderstandings, these are calculated attempts to strong-arm a way out of agreements Chandler made freely and later breached,” he said.
“There’s a pattern of avoided accountability, unresolved conflicts passed off to others, and a history of others being forced to carry the weight of consequences never owned. That pattern ends here.”
Moore, a worship leader at Church of The Nations in Texas, was a founding member of the gospel music collective. He was being managed personally and professionally by Gyamfi and had begun releasing solo music with limited success.
Gyamfi was introduced to Maverick City Music in 2020 by Moore, who didn’t know that behind his back, Gyamfi then negotiated to become a co-owner of the ensemble, according to the lawsuit. When Gyamfi became CEO of Maverick City Music in 2023, only then did he stop managing Moore.
Meanwhile, Moore, who had trusted his manager to act on his behalf, said Gyamfi was actually misappropriating of Moore’s assets and intellectual property by funnelling royalties, assets, and money through Gyamfi’s plethora of business ventures.
Those ventures include Insignia Holding, Insignia Assets, TRIBL Publishing, TRIBL Records, Maverick City Music, and Maverick City Publishing—all which are named in Moore’s lawsuit. The array of businesses span management, touring, publishing, and creative works, giving Gyamfi the ability to keep his business, and profit, in house.
The lawsuit’s most brazen allegation against Gyamfi is that he forged Moore’s signature electronically to finalize a publishing agreement on January 11, 2022, between Maverick City Music and Sony Music Entertainment. In doing so, he handed over the rights to Moore’s work and compositions to the Orchard, a Sony Music Entertainment entity. It also gave Maverick City Music Power of Attorney over Moore’s work.
“Despite the significance of the transaction and Gyamfi’s close relationship with Moore, Moore never received prior notice or disclosure of the Sale of his masters nor information that Gyamfi was profiting from the Sale,” the lawsuit states.
Gyamfi allegedly forged Moore’s signature on four contracts, garnering from royalties owed to Moore from music copyright, public performance, and use in congregational settings.
TRR has reached out to Maverick City Music for comment from Gyamfi but has not heard back.
This article was originally published by The Roys Report.
Jessica Morris is a music journalist, podcaster and author based in Melbourne, Australia.