EVANESCENCE Singer Sues Former Manager For 'Negligence', 'Sexual Assault And Battery'

Singer Amy Lee of EVANESCENCE has sued her former manager, Dennis Rider of Rider Management, for breach of fiduciary duty, professional negligence, conversion, sexual assault and battery, and other claims.

According to the complaint, which was filed today (Dec. 7) in Los Angeles Superior Court, Lee retained Rider to serve as her personal manager commencing on or about September 5, 2002. As her manager, "Rider owed Lee the highest fiduciary duty to promote Lee's career, to look out for her best interests and to take care of her business. Instead, Rider has neglected Lee's career and business, and has focused his efforts on having extramarital affairs, hiding them from his wife, becoming intoxicated during business meetings, physically abusing women and boasting about it, making repeated unwelcome sexual advances toward Lee, receiving fees in excess of what was provided for in his management agreement, and using Lee's corporate credit card to purchase lavish gifts for his mistress — without Lee's knowledge or consent — including an $18,000 automobile and a week-long vacation in Florida."

Lee claims in her complaint that "Rider has made repeated overt, unwelcome sexual advances to Lee (his client). On one occasion he put his head in Lee's lap and ran his hand up her leg, when she sat next to him on a couch to listen to a demo of songs for her next album. On a different occasion, Rider put his hand on Lee's leg while he sat next to her on an airplane — where she was captive to his advances. On a third occasion, Rider told Lee that he wanted to perform a gynecological examination on her."

Lee is seeking "general and special damages in an amount according to proof at trial" as well as "punitive or exemplary damages." She is also asking to be reimbursed "for all unauthorized and excessive expenditures" and attorneys' fees.

Download a copy of Lee's 21-page complaint against Rider at this location (.PDF file, 4.3 MB).

As previously reported, Rider filed a lawsuit against Lee last week over alleged unpaid commissions. Under the agreement, Rider Management was entitled to 20 percent of gross earnings. He is asking for a minimum of $10 million.

EVANESCENCE's major-label debut, "Fallen", has sold 6.36 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.