Timbaland Sues Former Manager, Business Manager on Fraud Claims

Timbaland has filed a $15 million lawsuit against his former manager and business manager, accusing the two executives of fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and civil theft, among other claims.

In a 65-page suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday, Timbaland alleges that the manager, Gary Marella, “stole millions in unauthorized commissions, fees, and reimbursements,” used Timbaland’s funds to pay Marella’s employees, and “falsified financial records and communications to conceal unauthorized payments” from the producer.

The former business manager Bruce Seckendorf, Timbaland, whose real name is Timothy Mosley, alleges, “failed to pay Mosley’s mortgage and allowed his home to reach the brink of foreclosure.”

The suit claims Seckendorf’s firm “failed to timely pay substantial federal taxes, causing millions in penalties and interest, while continuing to pay themselves, the Marella Defendants, and other professionals millions in commissions, fees, and purported loan repayments.”

“Defendants used their entrusted authority to enrich themselves and others, conceal financial misconduct, and deplete Timbaland’s valuable assets,” the suit says. “Plaintiffs seek to recover their losses, compel an accounting, and stop the continuing unauthorized use of Timbaland’s name for Defendants’ benefit.”

Per the suit, Timbaland only learned of the alleged misconduct because he got a foreclosure notice at his home last year. After receiving the notice, the suit says, Timbaland called Seckendorf, who the producer says failed to “clearly explain why his office had failed to make the mortgage payments without informing Mosley.”

Timbaland subsequently took on independent legal counsel and financial representatives, who had investigated the issue, “uncovering unauthorized payments, concealed credit-card arrangements, falsified communications, undisclosed liabilities, and purported loans Mosley had never knowingly agreed to,” the suit states.

“The foreclosure was not caused simply because Plaintiffs had no money,” the complaint says, adding that the “Seckendorf Defendants thus prioritized nearly $900,000 in payments to Defendants and attorneys they engaged in five months, while failing to pay for twelve months of mortgage arrears they caused and concealed from Mosley.”

Per the suit, the two defendants were terminated in 2025. Neither Marella nor Seckendorf nor their respective firms immediately responded to request for comment.

Timbaland first started working directly with Marella and Seckendorf in 2016 while dealing with financial misconduct claims against his previous representation, according to the complaint. Marella is the CEO of Mono Music Group, which along with Timbaland has represented other hitmakers such as Poo Bear and ATL Jacob. Seckendorf is a partner at LL Business Management, which was listed on Billboard’s top business managers list last year and represents the likes of Feid, Pusha T, Clipse and Cirkut among others. Mono Music Group, LL Business Management and the firm Seckendorf Hasson Reilly & Kobay CPA’s are all co-defendants in the suit as well.

Marella and Seckendorf had worked with Timbaland during a period of significant business ventures for the producer, including launching his popular Verzuz series with Swizz Beatz during the pandemic and selling his catalog to Hipgnosis Songs Fund back in 2019.

Regarding Verzuz in particular, Timbaland alleges that Marella took $500,000 more than he was entitled to on two separate incidents relating to $5 million payments from the venture. On the Hipgnosis sale, Marella took $775,000 more than his allotted 10 percent commission would’ve called for, the suit says.

Marella also co-founded the beat marketplace Beatclub with Timbaland, though as the suit alleges, Marella “grossly mismanaged” the company and treated Mosley as a piggy bank to repair the problems he created. The suit claims Marella “depleted investor funds, spent company money contrary to how he represented it would be used, incurred obligations Beatclub could not pay, failed to pay employees and creators he hired, and spent money contrary to board restrictions.”

Seckendorf, Timbaland alleges, “knowingly provided substantial assistance through payment authorizations, disbursements, and control over Plaintiffs’ financial accounts, thereby substantially enabling the misconduct and contributing to Plaintiffs’ resulting harm.”

Timbaland also brings claims for fraudulent concealment, breach of contract and misappropriation of name, photograph and likeness.

“Defendants spent much of their careers benefiting from Timbaland’s career, catalog, reputation, and relationships,” the suit says, “yet left Plaintiffs with depleted assets, undisclosed liabilities, costly litigation, and the burden of reconstructing their own financial affairs.”