Evanescence Singer Sues Ex-Manager

The lead singer of rock band Evanescence claims that her former manager improperly guided her career, defrauded the band and repeatedly subjected her to unwanted sexual advances, according to a lawsuit filed this week in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Amy Lee’s suit alleges that Dennis Rider of Rider Management Inc. in Los Angeles made sexual advances on at least three occasions and improperly used the band’s money to cover the expenses of his extramarital affairs. The suit claims that Rider’s alcohol use undermined his ability to guide the Goth-styled band.

Rider filed a $10-million breach-of-contract lawsuit last week against Lee and the band, which fired him in November. Rider’s attorney, Bert Deixler, released a statement denying Lee’s claims.

“Ms. Lee is very creative in writing lyrics to a song, but now she is creating a version of reality that simply has no basis in fact, and she knows that,” it said. “Dennis Rider’s guidance of Evanescence and Ms. Lee’s personal career has made her a rock and roll celebrity worldwide and wealthy beyond her dreams.”

Evanescence’s two albums have sold 10.4 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.