Calvin Harris has accused his long-time financial advisor of stealing $22.5 million to fund what the Scottish music producer describes as a “boondoggle” Hollywood real estate development project.
The Grammy-winning DJ, whose legal name is Adam Wiles, filed an arbitration demand on September 12 against Thomas St. John, who served as his financial advisor for 13 years. According to court documents obtained by multiple media outlets, Harris alleges that St. John coerced him into investing millions in the stalled CMNTY Culture Campus project without providing adequate information about the development.
The Alleged Investment Scheme
The controversy centers around the CMNTY Culture Campus, a proposed 460,000 square-foot development located at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Highland Avenue in Hollywood. Originally announced as an artist-centric space featuring recording studios, office space, and artists’ lounges, the project began development around 2020 under St. John’s guidance.
According to Harris’ legal team, the project ran into financial difficulties by 2023, prompting St. John to approach his high-profile client for emergency funding. The arbitration demand alleges that St. John presented Harris with documents to sign without disclosing crucial details about the investment opportunity.
Harris subsequently provided a $10 million loan and made a $12.5 million equity investment in the project. However, shortly after the investment was made, Harris claims that St. John caused CMNTY Culture to distribute $11.7 million to an entity under his control.
“To this day, Claimants do not know where Claimants’ investment has gone or what it has been used for,” Harris’ attorneys wrote in the arbitration demand. The legal filing describes the investment as having been “at best, a complete boondoggle, and, at worst, a complete fraud.”
Project Changes and Unpaid Loans
The situation became more complex when the CMNTY Culture Campus shifted its focus from an entertainment venue to a predominantly residential development in 2024. The new plan calls for 750 apartments across two towers of 34 and 38 stories, including 90 low-income housing units.
Harris’ attorneys maintain that this significant change in project scope was made without proper consultation with investors. Meanwhile, they assert that the $10 million loan was supposed to be repaid by January 31, 2025, but both the principal and interest remain outstanding. St. John resigned from his position as Calvin Harris’ financial advisor in April 2025, according to the legal documents.
Defense Responds to Allegations
Thomas St. John, through his attorney Sasha Frid, has denied all wrongdoing and presented a different version of events. In a statement to Variety, Frid claimed that Harris “actively pursued this development opportunity.”
“Unhappy with the pace of the project, he chose to pursue private arbitration to assert his discontent,” Frid’s statement continued. The defense attributes project delays to broader market conditions, noting that “due to interest rates and other market factors real estate projects are taking longer to build.”
Despite the stalled progress, St. John’s legal team maintains confidence in the development’s future viability. Frid stated that “the development is very much viable and expected to have a $900+ million valuation when completed.”
Legal Proceedings and Industry Impact
Rather than filing a traditional lawsuit, Harris has opted for private arbitration to resolve the dispute. This approach allows both parties to handle the matter outside of public court proceedings, though details have emerged through Harris’s petition to enforce a temporary injunction in the Los Angeles Superior Court.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about financial oversight in the entertainment industry, where high-earning artists often rely heavily on trusted advisors to manage their substantial wealth. Calvin Harris, who was the world’s highest-paid DJ for much of the 2010s, represents the type of celebrity client whose significant assets can be vulnerable to potential financial misconduct.
The arbitration demand includes more than a dozen civil claims against St. John and alleged co-conspirators, including breach of contract, fraud, and professional malpractice.
As the arbitration process continues, Harris has secured a stipulated agreement preventing the company from overspending its remaining funds while the dispute is resolved. The outcome of this high-profile case may influence how entertainment industry professionals structure their financial advisory relationships and oversight mechanisms.
Neither Harris nor St. John’s representatives has provided additional comments beyond those included in the legal filings and official statements.
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