Court orders Patrice Roberts to pay US$25,000 to Canadian company

Soca star Patrice Roberts has been ordered to pay US$25,104.12 in compensation to a Canadian entertainment company for services it provided while briefly managing her career.

High Court Judge Robin Mohammed ordered the compensation for Ontario-based Soca Bookings Incorporated yesterday as he partially upheld its breach of contract lawsuit against Roberts.

Justice Mohammed found that the company was entitled to US$35,472, which represents reasonable compensation for the management services it provided and cash advances made on Roberts’ behalf to help further her career, plus interest.

However, he found that it owed her US$10,367.88, which represents the proceeds of the digital sales of her music that it collected while managing her, plus interest.

He gave Roberts the option of setting off the compensation owed to her against what she is required to pay, meaning that she would just be required to pay the difference.

The lawsuit related to an oral contract, which both parties admitted they entered into following a meeting at the Trinidad Hilton Hotel in February 2015.

Both agreed that the company would provide artiste management services and that Roberts would pay a 20 per cent commission on her live performances, which earned her more than US$10,000 and 15 per cent on performances earning less than US$10,000.

They also agreed that the fees would only become payable after their joint business venture became profitable.

Roberts terminated the arrangement via email in June 2017.

The company claimed US$22,535 in management fees as well as US$23,900, which it claimed represents cash advances it made for recording sessions with international producers and for music videos.

Roberts denied any wrongdoing as she claimed that she did not owe the company when she ended their relationship. She also filed a counter-claim seeking her digital music sales.

In deciding the case, Justice Mohammed ruled that there was a valid contract between the parties, including the fee deferment until profitability clause.