Ruben Studdard wins $2 Million in Fraud Case
American Idol winner Ruben Studdard has been awarded $2 million in his lawsuit against his ex-manager for mismanaging the singer’s money and credit cards.
Studdard, 26, of Birmingham, won the television talent show in 2003 and filed suit last year against ex-manager Ronald W. Edwards and Edwards’ promotions company, Sez Inc.
On Tuesday, Jefferson County Circuit Judge Scott Vowell awarded Studdard $500,000 for his actual losses, and another $1.5 million in punitive damages, The Birmingham News reported Thursday on its Web site.
The suit claimed Edwards misused more than $246,000 of the singer’s money.
According to the judge’s ruling, Edwards took money from Studdard’s checking and other bank accounts, improperly used his credit cards, and even used Studdard’s money to repay a $10,000 personal bank loan.
Studdard has sold more than 2.2 million records, but the damage to his credit because of the fraud made it hard to even obtain financing to buy a home.