Celine Dion Seeks New Trial in Spat With Former Concert Agent

LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Celine Dion has filed court papers asking for a new trial in a $13 million dispute with her former concert agent, whom she alleges was overpaid for a multimillion-dollar deal he negotiated for her in 2017.

The 52-year-old singer's petition was filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court. She is asking a judge to hold a new trial of the issues that led to a Nov. 13 decision by attorney David Gurley on behalf of the California Labor Commission. Gurley found that the singer must continue paying her ex-concert agent, Rob Prinz, through 2026.

Prinz receives between 1.5% and 3% commission on concerts Dion performs on tour or in her ongoing Las Vegas residency, or up to $13 million. The terms were reached in an earlier deal with Dion's late husband and manager, Rene Angelil, and continued by her next manager, Aldo Giampaolo.

In 2017, Prinz negotiated a deal with concert promoter AEG that, by 2026, will earn Dion $272 million from Las Vegas appearances, $212 million from touring and a $5 million bonus for bringing the contract to fruition.

Both Prinz and Giampaolo were eventually fired. Angelil died in 2016 of throat cancer at age 73.

Dion also is alleging breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty based on what she alleges in her court papers was a ``gratuitous, self-serving, widespread distribution of a press release disclosing highly sensitive and confidential information regarding the details of (Dion's) contractual relationship with Anschutz Entertainment Group'' by Prinz and his company, ICM Partners.

Photo: Getty Images


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