Calvin Harris Accuses Financial Adviser of Stealing Millions to Fund ‘Boondoggle’ Real Estate Project

Celebrated Scottish DJ and producer Calvin Harris has filed an arbitration claim against his longtime financial manager, Thomas St. John, alleging the misdirection of $22.5 million intended to prop up a struggling Hollywood real estate project. The venture, known as CMNTY Culture Campus, was originally conceived as a 460,000-square-foot creative hub featuring recording studios, offices, and lounges. Legal filings indicate that St. John—who managed Harris’s finances for over ten years—launched the initiative around 2020 but faced mounting financial strain by 2023.

Harris, whose real name is Adam Wiles, claims he was pressured into providing emergency funding without full transparency. His legal team asserts that St. John presented incomplete paperwork for signature, leading Harris to approve a $10 million loan and a further $12.5 million equity contribution. According to the filing, Harris still does not know how these funds were used, with his attorneys stating that he “remains in the dark regarding the allocation or purpose of the investment.” The artist further alleges that St. John transferred $11.7 million to a company under his personal control shortly after the transaction—an accusation St. John denies.

In response, St. John’s attorney, Sasha Frid, argued that Harris was one of several investors who “actively sought involvement in the development.” Frid insisted the project remains viable despite challenges posed by rising interest rates and shifting real estate trends. The property, located at the prominent corner of Sunset Boulevard and Highland Avenue, has been reconceived as a mixed-use residential development after initial plans for a creative campus stalled. The redesign now includes two high-rise towers with 750 apartments—90 earmarked as affordable housing—alongside retail and creative spaces. Frid projected the completed development could be worth more than $900 million.

Harris’s representatives have dismissed these projections, labeling the investment “a financial debacle, if not an outright fraud.” They note that the $10 million loan was due for repayment by January 31, 2025, but remains outstanding. After St. John stepped down as financial advisor in April, Harris requested clarity on the use of his funds but received only evasive responses. With recent assessments indicating the project’s finances have further deteriorated, Harris’s legal team secured a court-approved order freezing additional asset movement pending arbitration.

The case highlights the risks high-profile artists face when entrusting advisors with complex investments. “Entertainers with significant wealth can become targets for ambitious but poorly-vetted ventures, especially when oversight is limited,” observed an industry financial analyst. A petition formalizing the provisional asset freeze was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court last Friday, ensuring court supervision continues throughout the arbitration proceedings.