Philippines bars American hip-hop star Chris Brown from leaving hours before Hong Kong concert
Grammy award-winning singer Chris Brown’s departure from Manila has been delayed because of fraud allegations against him and his promoter for a canceled concert last New Year’s eve.
American hip-hop star Chris Brown was barred Wednesday from leaving the Philippines just hours before he was due to perform a concert at Dragon-i in Hong Kong.
Brown was prevented from leaving after a prominent religious group alleged he reneged on an agreement to perform at a 2014 concert.
The 25-year-old Grammy-winning R&B artist, who performed in Manila on Tuesday, must satisfy the government there is no basis to file swindling charges against him before he can depart, the immigration bureau said.
The influential Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ), a conservative, indigenous Christian sect, alleged Brown had failed to show up for a New Year’s Eve concert at an Iglesia-owned indoor arena on Manila’s northern outskirts last December 31.
Its chief operating officer Glicerio Santos alleged in a letter shown to reporters by the justice department that Brown and his Filipino promoter defrauded the sect.
“We would appreciate any assistance you can provide to us... (against) producers and talents who employ such fraudulent schemes to obtain money from legitimate businesses in the country,” Santos said in his letter to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.