In a startling exposé, a report from Business Insider has revealed that high-profile artists, including Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, Marshmello, Steve Aoki, and members of Alice in Chains, received millions of dollars in government-issued COVID-19 relief funds, only to spend substantial amounts on personal luxuries. These funds, part of the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program, were intended to aid struggling venues and artists during the pandemic. Instead, they seem to have fueled extravagant lifestyles, raising concerns about the program’s oversight.
DJ Marshmello, known for his signature helmet, reportedly pocketed the entire $9.9 million grant his touring company received. Unlike others who allocated some funds to staff or production costs, Marshmello was able to justify the payment to himself due to his high earnings from touring in 2019. Marshmello’s representative declined to comment on the allegations.
Chris Brown’s company, CBE Touring, was awarded a $10 million grant, half of which went directly to Brown himself. Documents suggest that $80,000 of the funds were used to throw an elaborate 33rd birthday party, complete with an LED dance floor, hookahs, body-painted models, and “nitrogen ice cream.” Brown also reportedly spent $24,000 to take his tour bus to Mexico, where he spent a month filming a music video but performed no shows.
Rapper Lil Wayne, meanwhile, secured $8.9 million in grant money. His spending included $1.3 million on private jets, $460,000 on luxury clothing, and $88,000 for a New Year’s Eve performance that he ultimately cancelled. A portion of the funds also reportedly went toward flights and accommodations for women without apparent ties to his touring operations.
Steve Aoki is said to have paid himself $1.9 million from the $2.4 million his company received for “payroll costs.” Similarly, members of Alice in Chains allocated significant portions of their $4.1 million grant to personal payouts, with frontman Jerry Cantrell receiving $1.4 million and other members splitting the rest. Meanwhile, their staff and touring crew reportedly received little financial support, and the band’s guitar tech, Scott Dachroeden, had to crowdfund his cancer treatment before his passing.
The revelations have sparked outrage from artists and venues who were genuinely struggling during the pandemic. Senator Gary Peters called it “an abuse of federal resources,” highlighting the loopholes in the SVOG program. The Small Business Administration, which oversaw the grants, stated that it only examined revenue drops, not the personal assets of recipients, leaving the door wide open for misuse.
For many, these reports paint a troubling picture of how relief programs intended for struggling sectors were exploited by the wealthy and well-connected, reinforcing calls for stricter oversight in the future.