"He has been called the "poet laureate of pessimism". His songs, delivered in a slow, haunting monotone, tell of death, betrayal and depression. Now, earthly matters have caught up with Leonard Cohen: his manager, he alleges, has spent all his money.
A lawsuit filed by the 71-year-old singer and poet in a Los Angeles court describes a tangled web of deceit, allegation and legal chicanery. Cohen claims Kelley Lynch, his manager for 16 years, stole more than $5m (£2.8m) from a fund set up for his retirement. There is only $150,000 left
in the fund and Cohen has mortgaged his house to pay his legal costs and is selling his assets. He cannot touch the money in the fund because of the legal dispute.
"I was devastated," Cohen told the Canadian magazine Macleans. "You know, God gave me a strong inner core, so I wasn't shattered. But I was deeply concerned."
The theft allegedly started when Cohen, a Zen Buddhist, was on a five-year retreat in southern California. "Through greed, self-dealing, concealment, knowing misrepresentation and reckless disregard for professional fiduciary duties," Cohen's suit states, his manager and his financial advisers failed to inform him of the state of his finances. Lynch, a Tibetan Buddhist and
one-time lover of Cohen's, denies the allegations."
Rather uncharacteristically, the great man is looking on the bright side:
"The lawsuits and the absence of funds have prompted Cohen to start working again. He plans to tour for the first time in 12 years, he has a new book of poetry due next year, he hopes to record an album this autumn, and a new album recorded with his wife is due for release. While admitting that the financial loss could "put a dent in your mood", Cohen says he is happy again. "This has
propelled us into incessant work," he told Macleans. "
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