Connor Franta has accused his business partners of siphoning over $1 million from Heard Well, allegations they have firmly denied.
In a lawsuit filed this week in California Superior Court, YouTuber Connor Franta is suing his cofounders at Heard Well, a music label working with influencers, as well as the company’s business manager. The manager, who’s the father of one of the cofounders, is accused of ignoring the alleged theft.
The suit claims that Heard Well cofounder Jeremy Wineberg used the company’s American Express Black Card for personal expenses, including travel, concert tickets, tattoos, groceries, and plastic surgery.
Franta alleges that he “systematically looted” the company and used its funds to pay off the Amex balances. The business partners and manager denied the allegations in statements to Business Insider.
Another cofounder, Andrew Graham, Franta’s former CAA agent, is also accused of converting thousands of Heard Well dollars for personal use.
Additionally, the lawsuit claims the mismanagement and alleged theft left Heard Well financially drained, prompting Franta to take legal action.
CAA is a top Hollywood talent agency that represents influencers on platforms like YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, helping them monetize through brand deals and business ventures. The agency is not involved in the lawsuit.
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The suit claims that Jeremy and, to a lesser extent, Graham used the company’s earnings as a “personal piggy bank.” Franta accuses Lindsay Wineberg & Associates, managed by Jeremy’s father, of negligence by allowing over $1 million to be funneled into Wineberg and Graham’s personal pockets.
Jeremy’s lawyer, Bryan Sullivan, denied the allegations, stating that his clients did not engage in misconduct. Graham’s lawyer, John Shenk, also denied the claims and stated that Graham will defend himself in court. Graham confirmed that he no longer represents Franta, and CAA is no longer involved.
Franta, a YouTuber with 4.8 million subscribers and author of ‘A Work in Progress,’ co-founded Heard Well in 2015 with an initial investment of $2,000 each, as per the operating agreement filed in the lawsuit.
Heard Well released dozens of albums, but according to the lawsuit, Franta “hardly saw a dime of profit” throughout its nearly 10-year existence. The lawsuit states that earlier this spring, Franta discovered it’d fallen behind on royalty payments after a YouTube video accused the company of scamming.
Franta also claimed in the suit that he’s been blocked from the company’s social media accounts. In a statement to BI, he said, “Acting with integrity and respect in all my professional endeavors – especially with fellow creators – has always been a top priority for me.”
He added that although the issue had only recently come to light, he took immediate action this week “to protect the company and to facilitate its pursuit of all necessary and appropriate legal remedies.”
