Chandler Moore Sues Maverick City Music Amid Abrupt Exit, Claiming CEO ‘Abused His Power’

Days before Maverick City Music co-founder Chandler Moore announced his abrupt departure from the Grammy-winning worship collective, he sued the group’s chief executive for allegedly stealing millions of dollars’ worth of royalties from him.

The civil fraud lawsuit, obtained by Billboard, was filed by Moore’s lawyers in Atlanta federal court last Wednesday (Oct. 1). Five days later, on Monday (Oct. 6), Moore announced on social media that he was leaving Maverick City Music and focusing on solo projects.

The lawsuit names several corporate entities, including Maverick City Music and the group’s label. TRIBL Records. But the primary target is Norman Gyamfi, who was Moore’s manager before buying an ownership stake in Maverick City Music and eventually becoming the collective’s CEO in 2023.

“Moore reposed great trust and confidence in and accepted Gyamfi’s guidance in his business and financial decisions,” reads the complaint. “Gyamfi, however, abused his power and the trust that Moore bestowed upon him.”

The lawsuit claims that Gyamfi’s self-dealing began in 2021, when he brokered the sale of Maverick City Music’s masters to Sony distribution arm The Orchard without telling Moore or disclosing that he would receive a commission from the deal.

Moore then says that in 2022, Gyamfi secretly directed Essential Music Publishing, Sony’s Christian music publishing division, to pay all Moore’s songwriting royalties directly to Maverick City Music. To make this happen, Gyamfi allegedly forged Moore’s signature on a co-publishing agreement that assigned half of all his composition rights to the group.

According to the lawsuit, Moore signed a final contract with Maverick City Music in 2024. Moore says he fulfilled his obligations by writing new music and completing a tour, but that Gyamfi and his associates withheld more than $800,000 in royalties due under the agreement.

Moore ultimately alleges that Gyamfi stole millions of dollars from him through these various forms of wrongdoing. The singer is bringing a slew of civil claims against Gyamfi, including breach of contract, forgery and conversion, and he’s seeking financial damages as well as a court order voiding all his contracts with Maverick City Music.

“Defendants’ greed, exploitation and misappropriation of Moore’s assets and intellectual property have deprived Plaintiffs of their contractually owed royalties, assets, monies and ownership interests,” reads the lawsuit.

Reps for Moore and Maverick City Music did not immediately return requests for comment on Tuesday (Oct. 7).

In addition to Moore’s departure from Maverick City Music, fellow member Naomi Raine also announced on Monday that she’s exiting the group, though she is not involved in Moore’s lawsuit.