Justin Timberlake and Nick Carter were dragged into the world of showbiz sexual-predator scandals — after their boy-band manager Lou Pearlman was exposed as a pervert! The superstar manager was once showbiz’s most powerful music mogul. Pearlman oversaw the rise of both Backstreet Boys and ‘N SYNC through the 1990a — but the greedy guru got caught up in financial scams that put him in prison. He would die behind bars in 2016 at the age of 62 from “an ongoing cardiac problem.” By then, however, the boy-band wiz had been publicly disgraced over his disgusting passion for boys…
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The nightmare began when Pearlman — an obese showman who liked to be called "Big Poppa" — convinced the parents of aspiring teenaged singers to let their sons live in his Florida mansion. Once in his clutches, an insider claims, the 350-pound Pearlman would prance naked in front of some of the innocent young hunks, hop into their beds and attempt to seduce them.
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Bob Carter, the father of Backstreet Boy Nick, told The National ENQUIRER that his then-wife eventually took their son to a psychiatrist over her fears that her son was being molested. "Jane made the accusations when Nick was just 15," Nick's dad Bob Carter said. "She took Nick to a therapist because of it. The therapist decided that Lou never touched Nick, but Jane was still convinced of it."
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Jane also believed Pearlman (seen here with
Nick's brother, Aaron) could have molested other clients, said Bob. Denise Solis, the mother of Backstreet Boy
A.J. McLean, said she wasn't aware of any hanky-panky — but she wouldn't allow A.J. to stay at Pearlman's house. Looking back, Denise suspects Pearlman used a ruse to hide his attraction to young men.
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"He told us he had a girlfriend, but she lived far away — in California, or Europe," Denise told The ENQUIRER. Now she believes that "auditioning all those kids must have been like a buffet to him." Another source claimed that "weird things definitely" happened between Pearlman and one band member who was invited to stay at Pearlman's lavish home.
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"The kid showed signs of distress whenever he stayed at Lou's house," said the insider. "He wouldn't smile. He'd get real quiet." Other incidents of inappropriate behavior were more subtle, says a source. Pearlman (seen posing with his act O-Town) acted especially affectionate toward Nick, according to Nick's former high school tutor.
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"When I went to Lou's mansion to tutor Nick,," recalled Mary Cufaude, "I saw Lou put his arms around Nick and massage him. There were security cameras filming the boys, and Lou had this ornate bathroom with a shower that had a zillion shower heads. He was a strange person."
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Mary also met members of 'N SYNC — and claims Timberlake and his band mates told her they were terrified to stay at Pearlman's Orlando home. "Some of the band members would stay at Lou's house when they were under his umbrella," said Mary, "but there came a time when they refused to stay there anymore. They told me it was understood that Lou was a sexual predator."
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Tim Christofore, a singer with Pearlman's lesser-known band Take 5, says he and a band mate were sleeping at Pearlman's house when their overweight mentor hopped into bed with them — wearing nothing but a towel, which quickly came off: "We were, like, 'Oh, Lou, that's gross.' What did I know? I was 13."
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Pearlman also allegedly came on to aspiring singer Steve Mooney during a 1998 meeting at his mansion. Steve recalled: "I asked Lou what I had to do to be in one of his bands. Lou leaned back in his chair in his white terrycloth robe, spread his legs and said: 'You're a smart boy. Figure it out.'" Steve fled from the house.
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While he didn't specify Pearlman, former 'N SYNC member
Lance Bass (center) recalled that "someone that we worked with...was inappropriately touching us.” But, amazingly, Lance said the band members would just laugh about the creepy behavior. "It’s not a joking thing," Bass added. "I’m glad that we were aware of it, and we didn’t feel victimized at the time.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
The nightmare began when Pearlman — an obese showman who liked to be called "Big Poppa" — convinced the parents of aspiring teenaged singers to let their sons live in his Florida mansion. Once in his clutches, an insider claims, the 350-pound Pearlman would prance naked in front of some of the innocent young hunks, hop into their beds and attempt to seduce them.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Bob Carter, the father of Backstreet Boy Nick, told The National ENQUIRER that his then-wife eventually took their son to a psychiatrist over her fears that her son was being molested. "Jane made the accusations when Nick was just 15," Nick's dad Bob Carter said. "She took Nick to a therapist because of it. The therapist decided that Lou never touched Nick, but Jane was still convinced of it."
Photo credit: Getty Images
Jane also believed Pearlman (seen here with
Nick's brother, Aaron) could have molested other clients, said Bob. Denise Solis, the mother of Backstreet Boy
A.J. McLean, said she wasn't aware of any hanky-panky — but she wouldn't allow A.J. to stay at Pearlman's house. Looking back, Denise suspects Pearlman used a ruse to hide his attraction to young men.
Photo credit: Getty Images
"He told us he had a girlfriend, but she lived far away — in California, or Europe," Denise told The ENQUIRER. Now she believes that "auditioning all those kids must have been like a buffet to him." Another source claimed that "weird things definitely" happened between Pearlman and one band member who was invited to stay at Pearlman's lavish home.
Photo credit: Getty Images
"The kid showed signs of distress whenever he stayed at Lou's house," said the insider. "He wouldn't smile. He'd get real quiet." Other incidents of inappropriate behavior were more subtle, says a source. Pearlman (seen posing with his act O-Town) acted especially affectionate toward Nick, according to Nick's former high school tutor.
Photo credit: Getty Images
"When I went to Lou's mansion to tutor Nick,," recalled Mary Cufaude, "I saw Lou put his arms around Nick and massage him. There were security cameras filming the boys, and Lou had this ornate bathroom with a shower that had a zillion shower heads. He was a strange person."
Photo credit: Getty Images
Mary also met members of 'N SYNC — and claims Timberlake and his band mates told her they were terrified to stay at Pearlman's Orlando home. "Some of the band members would stay at Lou's house when they were under his umbrella," said Mary, "but there came a time when they refused to stay there anymore. They told me it was understood that Lou was a sexual predator."
Photo credit: Getty Images
Tim Christofore, a singer with Pearlman's lesser-known band Take 5, says he and a band mate were sleeping at Pearlman's house when their overweight mentor hopped into bed with them — wearing nothing but a towel, which quickly came off: "We were, like, 'Oh, Lou, that's gross.' What did I know? I was 13."
Photo credit: Getty Images
Pearlman also allegedly came on to aspiring singer Steve Mooney during a 1998 meeting at his mansion. Steve recalled: "I asked Lou what I had to do to be in one of his bands. Lou leaned back in his chair in his white terrycloth robe, spread his legs and said: 'You're a smart boy. Figure it out.'" Steve fled from the house.
Photo credit: Getty Images
While he didn't specify Pearlman, former 'N SYNC member
Lance Bass (center) recalled that "someone that we worked with...was inappropriately touching us.” But, amazingly, Lance said the band members would just laugh about the creepy behavior. "It’s not a joking thing," Bass added. "I’m glad that we were aware of it, and we didn’t feel victimized at the time.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
