The creator of
the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync was indicted Wednesday by
a federal grand jury on charges he defrauded a bank out of
$20 million.
Lou Pearlman, 53,
was indicted on three counts of bank fraud and single
counts of mail and wire fraud for business with Evansville,
Ind.-based Integra Bank N.A., according to
court documents.
Pearlman is most
famous for forming boy bands in the '90s, but was also
involved in airplane charter, real estate, model scouting,
and restaurant ventures. He stands accused of
fraudulently securing millions in bank loans with
documents from a fake accounting firm.
Assets have been
liquidated in two bankruptcy cases against Pearlman and
his companies, and the entertainment mogul has ignored court
actions against him for months.
Florida
investigators separately allege Pearlman defrauded more than
1,000 individual investors out of more than $315 million.
Several banks say he collectively owes them more than
$120 million, according to bankruptcy court documents.
Pearlman was
arrested in Indonesia on one count of bank fraud earlier
this month. He was expelled from Bali after the FBI
contacted authorities there, then he was transferred
to U.S. custody and flown to Guam. Pearlman was flown
to Los Angeles, and U.S. Marshal Jimmy Disbrow said
authorities will soon transport him to Florida.
''It's roughly
going to be about two weeks before we see him,'' U.S.
Marshal Disbrow said Wednesday.
A call placed by
the Associated Press to the U.S. Attorney's Office in
Orlando was not immediately returned. It was not known if
Pearlman had an attorney. (AP)