RedOne, whose real name is Nadir Khyat is one of the Moroccan celebrities who appear in the very controversial “Pandora Papers” case, which denounces the personalities who have concealed assets in offshore companies, in particular for tax evasion purposes. , according to a survey released Sunday by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).
The journalistic investigation conducted by 600 journalists around the world (part of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists) and which covers tax documents, nearly 12 million documents from 14 financial services companies, has pinned several personalities including heads of state, prime ministers and businessmen, but also showbiz personalities, like the famous Moroccan producer RedOne.
The Desk, which was associated with the investigation conducted by the ICIJ, reveals the very lucrative business of the producer of Lady Gaga who would own no less than 5 offshore companies, set up between 2012 and 2015 and registered in British Virgins (BVI) or Seychelles.
This business of the 49-year-old artist began in 2011, just after being decorated with a royal wissam, as the same source specifies, and also after his nomination for the prestigious Grammy Awards in the “Producer of the Year (non-classical)” category, after collaborations with Jennifer Lopez, Mohombi and Porcelain Black
George Short, a lawyer specializing in financial advice at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, a lobbying firm based in Denver, Colorado, then supervised on behalf of RedOne, the creation by Withers Bergman of Azerria Holdings Limited in the Islands British Virgins, one of the many tax havens around the Caribbean. Now renamed Withersworldwide, Withers Bergman is a law firm based in London but present in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean ”, indicates the survey.
For the creation of the company which also has an offshore bank account, Short and Withers Bergman go through a firm often cited in the Pandora Papers, Trident Trust, one of the main providers of tax optimization services and registration of companies present on the archipelago.
RedOne, which is the sole shareholder of the company, holds 1,000 shares in one dollar cHaone that Azerria has. This hitmaker is an accomplished artist and genius producer, to his credit several international awards, more than 80 world hits and several international stars produced, would have made, according to the Desk, use of his passport. Swedish, to register as a beneficiary of Azerria Holdings and “Thus tick the box which indicates that the offshore company aims in particular to hold the usufruct of its intellectual productions”.
A fruitful year crowned with success
A few months before, RedOne launched 2101 Records, its first label, created in with the giant Universal Music, and there it is the consecration for Nadir Khyate, of his real name, which thus connects the tubes and successes, in particular that of “Kiss Me ”which brings together a range of superstars (Pitbull, Nayer or Mohombi) and which has thus accumulated more than 81 million views on Youtube to date.
According to the Desk, this consecration comes a few days before the registration of Azerria Holdings in the register of companies of the BVI, or thus land the copyrights.
Almost two years later, the company is struck off the BVI’s corporate register, for on-payment of the annual fee for maintaining the company to the government, according to a copy of the local official bulletin, dated May 13, 2013. After that, RedOne and his manager, Alan Melina, create a new company in BVI, Brightstarz Ltd, on May 15, 2013, then RedOne Records Ltd.
“For the pair, discretion is now only optional. The first company is named after a dark music production house, Brightstarz LTD DBA Play-Makerz, which owns the exclusive license of Habibi I Love You, a collaboration released in July 2013 between the new Moroccan foal of RedOne, Ahmed Chawki and Cuban-American rap superstar Pitbull. Naturally, the tube is one of the hits of the summer of 2013 and will be interpreted in French, Spanish and Dutch in order to seduce the audience ”, specifies the Desk in its investigation.
A new offshore company in Seychelles
As for RedOne Records Ltd, recorded on March 26, 2014, it simply shares the name of Nadir Khayat’s new label, which he created just a few weeks before. Associated with Capitol Music Group for distribution in the United States and United Kingdom as well as with Virgin EMI Records for the rest of the markets, the record company has boosted the careers of Wayne Beckford, Porcelain Black, Midnight Red and even produces the official anthems of Real Madrid, his favorite club.
Alan Melina was not the only one to accompany RedOne in tax havens. In January 2012, Nadir Khayat opened with a certain Mohamed Boudih, a Moroccan citizen residing in Rabat according to the documents to which Le Desk had access, a company in the Seychelles, called RedMed Management Limited.
The operation is carried out by SFM, a Swiss company specializing in the incorporation of companies in more than 25 jurisdictions, a presence which makes this firm one of the most cited in the Pandora Papers.
Born Nadir Khayat in Tetouan, Morocco, RedOne left his homeland at 19 and headed to Sweden in search of musical fame, citing the holy trinity of the land of ABBA, Europe and Roxette. as his inspiration for the move.
Its first big hit came in 2005 when his work on singer Darin’s song “Step Up” helped the track reach the top of the Swedish singles charts.
In 2006, his track “Bamboo” was named the Official Melody of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. A year later his attention shifted to the United States, where he began collaborating with singers like Akon and Kat DeLuna.
Her 2008 work on Lady Gaga’s debut album, The Fame, helped the album become an international success. This earned RedOne a lot of influence with Universal Music Group, and the two parties went on to launch a joint venture, a boutique label called 2101 Records, which supported a handful of artists like Havana Brown and Jennifer Lopez.
Until 2014, RedOne collaborated with these groups, as well as with Gaga, Pitbull and Nicki Minaj, then transferred their label to Capitol and renamed it RedOne Records. Also signed to Warner as a solo actor, RedOne released the single “Don’t You Need Somebody” in 2016.
And in 2018, Redone and a bunch of Moroccan celebrities released a video specially dedicated to King Mohammed VI who was celebrating his 55th birthday. A beautiful way to express the unwavering attachment of the Moroccan people to their King.
Since then, he still continues to release songs that show the love he has for his country, and Africa in general, as with the song: We love Africa, released in August 2019, with Aminux (a Moroccan singer) and Inna MODJA (a singer, model and actress from Mali).
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