Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC Manager Lou Pearlman Dead At 62: Former Members Share Mixed Reactions

Lou Pearlman, the manager of successful boybands such as the Backstreet Boys, O-Town and *NSYNC, died on Aug. 19 while in prison. His death drew reactions from some of his former clients including Lance Bass, Justin Timberlake, Aaron Carter, AJ McLean and Ashley Parker Angel.

Pearlman was imprisoned in 2008 after he was convicted of running a Ponzi scheme to swindle investors, which left over $300 million in debts, according to Forbes. Faced with various charges including money laundering and conspiracy, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Last week, at the age of 62 years old, Pearlman died while serving his sentence. After news of his death emerged, various members of the groups he used to manage expressed their reactions through their Twitter accounts.

Bass of *NSYNC said that although Pearlman was not an ethical businessman, his success as an artist would not have been possible if not for his former manager.

Bass' bandmate Timberlake tweeted that he hopes Pearlman has already found peace while O-Town's Angel and Backstreet Boys' Carter and McLean talked about the producer's role in their success despite his wrongdoings.

As noted by Billboard, one of Pearlman's major crimes involved his Trans Continental Records company, which he used to scam the musical groups and artists that he handled. He was sued for misrepresentation and fraud by almost all of the musical acts he handled.

Investigators have not yet explained the actual cause of his death but reports confirmed that he previously suffered a stroke which contributed to the deterioration of his health.

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Backstreet Boys, O-Town, Nsync, Justin Timberlake