Chandler Moore, co-founder of Grammy-winning worship group Maverick City Music, has filed a federal lawsuit accusing the collective’s CEO of orchestrating a years-long scheme that defrauded him of millions of dollars in royalties—a bombshell allegation that has rocked the Christian music world.
The civil fraud complaint, filed in Atlanta federal court on October 1st and obtained by Billboard, paints a damning portrait of alleged betrayal at the highest levels of one of contemporary Christian music’s most celebrated acts. The lawsuit comes just days before Moore announced his abrupt departure from the collective he helped build, raising questions about the internal turmoil that has been brewing behind the scenes of the worship music phenomenon.
At the heart of the lawsuit is Norman Gyamfi, who began his relationship with Moore as the artist’s personal manager before ascending to become CEO of Maverick City Music in 2023 after purchasing an ownership stake in the collective. According to the complaint, this evolution from trusted advisor to corporate executive created a dangerous conflict of interest that Gyamfi allegedly exploited to devastating effect.
“Moore reposed great trust and confidence in and accepted Gyamfi’s guidance in his business and financial decisions,” the lawsuit states, describing a classic relationship of professional dependency. “Gyamfi, however, abused his power and the trust that Moore bestowed upon him.”
The lawsuit outlines what Moore’s legal team characterizes as a systematic scheme of financial misconduct that began in 2021 and continued through 2024. The allegations are both specific and serious:
The 2021 Masters Sale: According to the complaint, Gyamfi orchestrated the sale of Maverick City Music’s master recordings to The Orchard, Sony’s distribution arm, without informing Moore of the transaction’s details or disclosing that he would personally receive a commission from the deal. This alleged non-disclosure, Moore’s attorneys argue, represented the first major breach of fiduciary duty.
The 2022 Publishing Scheme: Perhaps most alarmingly, the lawsuit alleges that Gyamfi took more direct action to divert Moore’s income stream. Moore claims that Gyamfi secretly instructed Essential Music Publishing, Sony’s Christian music publishing division, to redirect all of Moore’s songwriting royalties directly to Maverick City Music rather than to the artist himself.
To facilitate this alleged diversion, the lawsuit contends that Gyamfi forged Moore’s signature on a co-publishing agreement that purportedly assigned half of Moore’s composition rights to the collective — a document Moore claims he never knowingly signed or authorized.
The 2024 Contract Dispute: The most recent allegations center on a final contract Moore signed with Maverick City Music in 2024. According to the lawsuit, Moore fulfilled his contractual obligations by writing new music and completing a touring commitment, but Gyamfi and his associates allegedly withheld more than $800,000 in royalties owed under that agreement.
The lawsuit names multiple defendants, including Maverick City Music itself and TRIBL Records, the collective’s label, though Gyamfi remains the primary target. Moore is pursuing numerous civil claims, including breach of contract, forgery, and conversion — a legal term for the wrongful possession or disposal of someone else’s property.
“Defendants’ greed, exploitation and misappropriation of Moore’s assets and intellectual property have deprived Plaintiffs of their contractually owed royalties, assets, money and ownership interests,” the complaint declares in notably strong language.
Moore is seeking substantial financial damages and, significantly, a court order voiding all his contracts with Maverick City Music — a remedy that would effectively sever all legal ties between the artist and the collective he co-founded.
Sam Lipshie of Bradley Arant, one of Moore’s attorneys, issued a statement Tuesday that positioned the lawsuit within the broader context of artist exploitation in the music industry.
“This law firm is privileged to represent Chandler Moore, an extraordinary artist and human being,” Lipshie said. “Like many talented creators and performers, Chandler has faced situations where his trust and talent were taken advantage of in various ways. We are fully committed to helping Chandler recover what is rightfully his, resolve outstanding legal matters, and assist him in moving forward freely to continue building the even-brighter, impactful career that lies ahead for him.”
The statement’s reference to “many talented creators and performers” appears designed to frame Moore’s situation as emblematic of systemic problems in how artists, particularly in the Christian music space, are sometimes treated by those entrusted with managing their business affairs.
The chronology of recent events adds another layer of intrigue to an already complex situation. Moore filed his lawsuit on Wednesday, October 1st. Five days later, on Monday, October 6th, he announced on social media that he was leaving Maverick City Music to focus on solo projects.
While Moore’s public announcement did not reference the lawsuit, the timing suggests the legal action may have precipitated or been coordinated with his departure. The announcement represented a seismic shift for Maverick City Music, as Moore was not merely a member but a co-founder of the collective that has become one of the most influential forces in contemporary worship music.
Adding to the sense of upheaval, fellow Maverick City member Naomi Raine also announced her departure from the group on the same day as Moore, though sources indicate she is not involved in Moore’s lawsuit. The simultaneous exit of two prominent members has fueled speculation about whether additional internal conflicts exist beyond those detailed in Moore’s legal filing.
The lawsuit arrives at a moment when Maverick City Music stands as one of Christian music’s most successful and artistically significant acts. The collective has earned Grammy recognition and has been credited with bringing a more diverse, spontaneous, and emotionally authentic approach to contemporary worship music.
The allegations, if proven true, would represent a significant case study in the vulnerabilities artists face when navigating the business side of the music industry, particularly in sectors like Christian music that often emphasize community, trust, and shared mission over rigorous business practices.
As of Tuesday, a representative for Maverick City Music had not responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit. This silence, whether strategic or circumstantial, leaves the collective’s side of the story untold for now. Gyamfi, through the corporate entities named in the suit, will presumably mount a defense, though the specifics of any counterarguments remain unknown.
The case will now proceed through the federal court system, where Moore will need to prove his allegations through documentation, testimony, and evidence. Fraud and forgery claims carry high burdens of proof, requiring Moore’s legal team to demonstrate not only that wrongdoing occurred but that it was intentional and part of a pattern of misconduct.
For Moore personally, the lawsuit represents both an ending and a beginning — the conclusion of his time with the collective he helped create and the start of what his attorney characterized as “the even-brighter, impactful career that lies ahead for him.”
For Maverick City Music, the departure of a co-founder amid such serious allegations presents both a legal challenge and a crisis of public confidence at a time when the group’s mission has been rooted in authenticity and spiritual integrity.
As this story develops, it serves as a reminder that even in spaces devoted to worship and faith, the complexities of business, money, and human relationships can create conflicts that end up not in church sanctuaries but in federal courtrooms.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Chandler Moore, co-founder of Grammy-winning Maverick City Music, is suing the group’s CEO, Norman Gyamfi, for allegedly stealing millions in royalties through a multi-year scheme involving unauthorized deals, forged signatures, and withheld payments.
