Stars pay tribute to fraudster and impresario Lou Pearlman

Pop stars have paid tribute to Backstreet Boys and *NSync founder Lou Pearlman, who has died in prison aged 62 while serving a 25-year sentence for a massive Ponzi scheme.

*NSync singer Lance Bass wrote on Twitter: “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 without his influence. RIP Lou.”

Aaron Carter, the singer and younger brother of Backstreet Boys’ star Nick, said: “#LouPearlman my old manager died in prison... Rip Lou. Not the best business guy really at all but he did discover me. Karma is real.”

Ashley Parker Angel, who rose to fame in boy-band O-Town after starring in Pearlman’s TV show, Making The Band, posted a picture of Pearlman with the group and the message: “Love him or hate him, Lou gave many of us our start. It’s a shame he let greed get in his way.”

Pearlman’s $300 million (£230m) Ponzi scheme through his Trans Continental companies was uncovered in 2006. He fled to Indonesia but was captured by authorities in 2007 and was convicted of fraud in 2008 and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Pearlman founded the Backstreet Boys in Florida in 1993, uniting five unknown singers – Carter, AJ McLean, Howie D, Kevin Richardson and Brian Littrell – who went on to become the best-selling boyband of all time.

He replicated his success when he founded *NSync in 1995, the band that would propel Justin Timberlake to global stardom.

The Backstreet Boys.