Backstreet Boys and ‘NSYNC Creator Dies in Texas Prison

Lou Pearlman, creator of the two most iconic boy bands of the 1990s, passed away in a Texas prison Friday night while serving a 25-year sentence.

62-year-old Pearlman is best known for creating the boy bands 'NSYNC and Backstreet Boys, and managing a multitude of other boy and girl bands.  Pearlman's business practices were highly questionable, being sued by Backstreet Boys in 2000, accused of shorting the band through an unfair contract. Backstreet Boys would ultimately not be the only band of Pearlman's who would file suit against him. 10-years-ago, Pearlman was accused of defrauding investors, including members of his own family, out of $300 million in a Ponzi scheme using two non-existent transportation companies. He fled the country the following year but was captured in Bali and returned to the states, ultimately being sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2008 for charges including money laundering and conspiracy. Pearlman had been serving his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Texarkana, TX.

According to Spin, while his cause of death wasn't immediately made public, Pearlman was a diabetic and had reportedly suffered a stroke while in prison in 2010.

Lance Bass of 'NSYNC acknowledged Pearlman's passing on Twitter this weekend saying,

Word is that #LouPearlman has passed away. He might not have been a stand up businessman, but I wouldn’t be doing what I love today w[ith]out his influence. RIP Lou.