D
J Calvin Harris (Adam Wiles) filed an arbitration claim against former financial adviser Thomas St. John in Los Angeles Superior Court on Sept. 12, alleging that St. John diverted $22.5 million of Harris’s money into a failed real‑estate venture. St. John managed Harris’s finances from 2012 until April 2025. The disputed project, called CMNTY Culture Campus, was intended to be a 460,000‑sq‑ft creative hub in Hollywood featuring recording studios, artist lounges and office space. It was launched in the early 2020s and sought investment from entertainers and financiers by 2021.
According to Harris’s lawyers, when the project ran short of cash in 2023, St. John approached Harris with only DocuSign forms to sign. Harris ultimately provided a $10 million loan and a $12.5 million equity stake through Lewis LLC into Hollywood LLC, the entity behind the development. The attorneys claim the paperwork was materially misleading and that Harris received no substantive information about the use of his funds. Within days, $11.7 million was transferred to Dun & Dun LLC, a vehicle controlled by St. John. Harris has not received any return, and the project has not begun construction. The lawyers describe the arrangement as a boondoggle or, at worst, fraud.
The project later shifted focus to a 750‑unit residential complex on Sunset and Highland, which St. John’s counsel says remains viable and could be worth over $900 million upon completion. Harris reports that updates have been scant and contradictory. In 2024, the development was marketed as two towers with 750 apartments, 90 low‑income units, retail and creative spaces. Harris claims his loan, due January 31 2025, remains unpaid and that the venture’s finances are deteriorating. He is seeking arbitration relief and has petitioned the court to prevent project funds from being dissipated while the case proceeds. St. John denies any wrongdoing. Harris’s lawyers maintain that the $10 million loan is still outstanding and that the project’s financial health is declining. The arbitration agreement now protects the funds during litigation.
