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cottish DJ Calvin Harris, legal name Adam Wiles, is suing former business manager Thomas St. John for $22.5 million over a $500 million mixed‑use development in Hollywood. Harris alleges he loaned $10 million and invested $12.5 million in equity for the CMNTY Culture Campus, a project slated for Sunset Boulevard and Highland Avenue that has yet to receive city approval. St. John, who served as Harris’s financial advisor for 13 years until April, denies any misconduct.
The arbitration filing in Los Angeles County Superior Court claims Harris stepped in with capital in 2023 when St. John faced liquidity issues and requested an emergency infusion. Shortly after Harris’s equity contribution, St. John allegedly distributed more than $11 million to himself. Harris’s lawyers argue that the project, originally proposed in 2022, was a “boondoggle” and potentially fraudulent.
The CMNTY Culture Campus was envisioned as a 13‑story indoor‑outdoor complex designed by HKS, the firm behind SoFi Stadium. It would have housed a state‑of‑the‑art recording studio, offices for entertainment professionals, and public spaces such as an auditorium and amphitheater overlooking the street. An earlier version of the plan called for office space rather than apartments.
In 2024, St. John announced a revised proposal to address a sluggish office market post‑COVID: two towers of 34 and 38 stories, 734 apartments, a five‑level garage, an acre of rooftop garden, and a street‑level studio, restaurant, and possibly a coffeehouse. St. John’s attorney, Sasha Frid, stated that Harris had actively pursued the development and, dissatisfied with its progress, opted for arbitration. Frid also noted that market conditions have delayed many projects, but the development remains viable and could be worth over $900 million upon completion. St. John maintains he has done nothing wrong.
The arbitration document confirms St. John’s liability for the overdue $10 million loan and an additional $1.9 million in interest. Harris’s legal team has not yet responded to media inquiries.
