Scooter Braun Responds After Justin Bieber Unfollows Him And Claims Of Industry Control Go Viral

Scooter Braun has finally spoken out about Justin Bieber – months after the singer hit the unfollow button on his former manager.

After weeks of reports about the singer's mental state, legal battles, and desire to cut ties with Hollywood, his ex-manager has made a rare comment under an Instagram Reel posted by researcher Ian Carroll. 

Carroll posted a video featuring a clip from The Candace Owens Show, where Owens and Carroll discussed what they believe is a coordinated effort to isolate and control Justin Bieber. The pair floated theories about Bieber’s tour cancellation, alleged legal entanglements, and Scooter Braun’s role in the sale of his company to South Korean entertainment giant HYBE.

Carroll claimed Braun had been “hemorrhaging his clients” and sold his company, ITHACA HOLDINGS, to HYBE, calling it “like the Korean mafia of music.” According to Carroll, Braun’s sale was suspiciously high given the company’s actual revenue, and he speculated that “it includes the future perpetual rights to Justin Bieber and his brand.”

Carroll continued, alleging that Bieber’s tour complications (face paralysis, a COVID diagnosis, and a canceled world tour) may have triggered financial backlash. “Suddenly there’s a whole bunch of debt that’s been incurred that’s not getting paid back,” Carroll said, adding that when Bieber asked his management about insurance, he was allegedly told there would be no payout. “You broke your contract… you actually have to cover this debt.”

He also claimed Bieber is now effectively trapped, saying, “Scooter’s on the hook for $1 billion worth of value, like he’s promised $1 billion worth of Justin Bieber’s future to this Korean company, which he’s now on the board of.” According to Carroll, Bieber can’t start new projects, is caught in secret litigation, and is being “controlled” by the very people who once profited from him.

However, Braun denies these claims. “This might be the most ill informed non factual take I have seen to date,” Braun wrote in the comment section. “But not surprising coming from Ian Carroll who has claimed Israel caused 9/11 and then denied the Holocaust because it was a tool for Israel.” He went on to accuse Carroll of spreading lies, speculation, and rumors, adding, “Ian if you’re going to call yourself a journalist why don’t you do an ounce of research.”

Braun also took time to defend his own business history, especially the sale of his company to HYBE. “The sale to Hybe was based on the assets of the company not management futures,” he wrote. “It’s a publicly traded company… it’s public record as well that I gifted 50 million of my own stock to my Artists and my employees including $10 million to Justin.”

He denied claims about an insurance payout, stated that he “never lost any clients,” and reiterated that his decision to step away from management was voluntary. “I decided to retire to spend more time with my kids,” he wrote.

“The one thing we do agree with is the press should leave Justin alone and stop speculating on him and his family.”  

Candace Owens, who first aired her claims during an April episode of her show, told her audience that she’d been informed Bieber was stuck in arbitration battles “being tortured,” and that the entire smear campaign was allegedly being orchestrated by a PR firm named Stephanie Jones PR. 

Owens’ theory hinges on the idea that powerful industry players are actively working to dismantle Bieber’s support system – starting with his marriage. “They're like 'Look at how miserable he is in this marriage,'” she said. “They are being paid a hefty sum or they have a very powerful person that is insisting upon this.” According to her, the goal is to isolate him, and force him back under control.

Bieber himself posted a raw, vulnerable note to Instagram in April that felt more like a cry for help than a PR-crafted message. With Lil Wayne’s How to Love playing in the background, he wrote, “I too have been caught up in the transactional nature of Hollywood. It's embarrassing but with that said I want nothing to do with that as a grown adult with a wife and son.”

He added that people have been urging him to leave L.A., but he’s not backing down so easily. “U think I'm gonna get bullied to leave where my influence is most needed?” he asked, before admitting that he's seen the darkness up close and that running isn’t the answer. “How can we make a change if we run away from the darkness?”

Notably, he said he wants to be “submerged in the culture learning from any and everyone,” and called himself “a proponent and advocate for LOVE AND EQUALITY.” 

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