Wyclef Jean’s former lawyers have filed a six-figure legal judgment against the musician after he failed to make agreed-upon payments to reduce his debt, according to court filings that include a recent e-mail from Jean’s business manager claiming that his client was broke.
“there ain’t no money,” Jean’s accountant declared in a terse January e-mail to his creditors.
Other records show that federal and state authorities have, since mid-2012, hit the performer with nearly $2.9 million in tax liens (which remain outstanding).
According to New York State Supreme Court filings, Jean last year agreed to pay the law firm Shukat Arrow Hafer Weber & Herbsman $100,000 to settle an outstanding bill topping $133,000.
As part of a confidential settlement agreement, Jean was required to pay the firm $10,000 by August 1, 2013, and $50,000 by year’s end. The agreement stipulated that if Jean made those two payments, the firm would waive the remaining $40,000 it was owed by the musician. However, the agreement notes, if Jean failed to make the payments, he would be on the hook for the entire $100,000, plus 10 percent annual interest.
Jean, records show, made neither payment.
