(Trinidad Express) Local film producer Ellis Briggs has claimed he was made a fall guy by the US based company responsible for Nicki Minaj’s video shoot in Trinidad and Tobago on July 4.
“They had to discredit me, they had to say I did something, you know that is what this is essentially is about,” he said last night.
Briggs and his lawyers walked into the CCN building yesterday and spoke exclusively with TV6 News.
Briggs said he never received any money from London Alley Productions to help offset the cost he incurred for consultancy fees, equipment rentals and services.
Briggs referred to a wire transfer document submitted by the foreign-based company to local Fraud Squad detectives indicating it had sent partial payment in the sum of US$9,999 but he said upon closer scrutiny anyone would realise something was not right.
“When you read the document it says wire transfer scheduled so it is scheduled to go and then by the delivery date there is a question mark and the delivery time a question mark, because it has not been delivered yet, it has not been sent,” Briggs said.
He said he had to co-ordinate these two ventures with both companies, and claimed that when representatives of Minaj came to Trinidad they tried to cut him off and negotiate lower fees with the people he had arranged for the shoot.
To date, Briggs said, no money has gone into the account and he practically dipped into his own pocket to ensure these costs were met.
“I know for a fact the account number is correct because my staff sent the information to them and they saying that it was a mix up with the account number. I personally went and I made sure all the information was correct so I knew something was not right,” he said.
Briggs said he has always done everything above board and challenged anyone to come forward with information suggesting otherwise.
“There are always going to be people when you doing business who are not happy with whatever the final result is,” he said.
Briggs’s lawyer, Criston Williams, said the chatter on social media and in the entertainment circles has seriously compromised his client’s character and ability to get any local jobs.
“And actually to break terms and conditions of the contract is just unfair and what does that basically do to my client’s reputation and the image of Trinidad and Tobago?” he asked.
Briggs claimed his name was removed from the list of the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company, without any proper explanation.
The Express last night contacted managing director of London Alley Production, Luga Podesta, by phone in the US to respond to the claims made by Briggs.
He said, “We can’t give any information about this case because of legal reasons.”
