In an extraordinary twist to the legacy of Leonard Cohen, a declaration by Joan Marie Lynch, mother of Cohen's former manager Kelley Lynch, reveals an intricate web of financial mismanagement, aggressive tax strategies, betrayals, and personal vendettas. Spanning decades of alleged misconduct, the detailed declaration sheds light on a man who, behind his soulful lyrics and spiritual public image, may have been far more flawed than anyone imagined. Joan, who knew Cohen well, shared holidays and social occasions with him and often assisted Kelley in managing the complexities of his career, providing her with a unique perspective on his personal and professional affairs. Her direct observations of Cohen’s behavior and involvement in his business dealings add a rare insider’s view to her allegations, highlighting the profound dynamics of trust and betrayal that defined Cohen’s inner circle.
A Tale of Loyalty and Betrayal
Joan Marie Lynch begins her declaration with a heartfelt description of the bond her family shared with Kelley, a fiercely loyal daughter and mother to two sons. Kelley, Joan claims, dedicated 17 years to Leonard Cohen, managing his business affairs and career.
“Kelley wasn’t just a manager—she was Leonard’s confidante, soul mate, and indispensable support system,” Joan writes. But instead of gratitude, Joan alleges, Cohen betrayed Kelley, reducing her to a scapegoat for his financial and tax woes.
A Secretive Business Empire
Joan’s declaration outlines Kelley’s deep involvement in managing Leonard Cohen’s sprawling business network, which included entities like Blue Mist Touring Company, Inc. (BMT) and Old Ideas, LLC (OI), both of which owned Cohen’s publishing and intellectual property assets that Kelley managed. Traditional Holdings, LLC (TH), while separate, was another entity Kelley was involved with at Cohen’s request. Joan confirms that Kelley was compensated with an ownership stake in these ventures as evidenced by corporate books and records.
Additionally, Joan reveals that Cohen asked Kelley to assist him with an annuity obligation tied to Traditional Holdings and Cohen’s retirement, which she later discovered he had extinguished from federal tax returns without her knowledge or awareness. This action raised serious tax issues, as annuities are typically subject to strict reporting requirements under federal tax law. By omitting the annuity obligation from the tax returns, Cohen created discrepancies in the entity's financial records. Such omissions could trigger audits, fines, or accusations of tax evasion. Joan asserts that this unilateral decision added another layer of complexity to the already opaque financial and tax arrangements surrounding Cohen’s business network.
According to Joan, Kelley voiced concerns about Cohen’s intricate tax schemes, orchestrated by Cohen and his advisers, namely Neal Greenberg and Richard Westin, financial and investment advisor and personal tax and corporate lawyer, respectively. By September 2004, these concerns prompted Kelley to hire her own legal and accounting advisors, a decision Joan claims triggered Cohen’s vendetta against her.
Cohen borrowed millions from Traditional Holdings, LLC and other entities to fund personal expenditures, including purchasing homes and commercial properties for his children and girlfriends, travel, homes in numerous countries, spending tens of thousands of dollars per month supporting family and friends, and lavishing money on expensive gifts such as statues and baby grand pianos for girlfriends and acquaintances. Additionally, he made lavish donations, including $500,000 to the Mt. Baldy Zen Center, among other extravagant expenses. All of this occurred during a period when Cohen had taken what amounted to years off to work on contractually obligated materials for books, albums, and other projects for which he had already received advances against royalties.
Cohen and Westin, according to the declaration, were distressed over Cohen’s level of borrowing from these entities—totalling tens of millions—and were concerned the IRS would initiate audits and question potential self-dealing. The loans were not properly documented, required repayment with interest which Cohen ignored, and Cohen further undermined the integrity of the business entity structures by treating them as personal piggy banks for his lavish expenditures. This disregard for the formalities of corporate governance raised serious tax and legal implications, potentially exposing Cohen and the entities to heightened IRS scrutiny and liability.
A Mysterious Breakdown: Artwork - Sigmund Freud reviewing Leonard Cohen's MK Ultra files and ink blot tests in a surreal psychiatric lab setting.
Joan recounts a troubling incident in October 2004, when Cohen, returning from Montreal, allegedly behaved erratically during a meeting with Kelley. From bizarre questions about a mutual acquaintance’s sex life and blackmail, to cryptic discussions about IRS investigations, Cohen’s behavior marked the beginning of what Joan calls his campaign to destroy Kelley’s reputation.
Joan alleges that Cohen fabricated a story accusing Kelley of attempting to “raid” his bank accounts—a narrative she calls a complete lie designed to deflect attention from Cohen’s own financial mismanagement and aggressive tax strategies.
Financial Misconduct and IRS Fears
The declaration delves into Cohen’s alleged financial schemes, including instructions from Richard Westin, Cohen’s personal tax and corporate lawyer, for Kelley to destroy corporate documents. Kelley refused, retained copies as evidence, and ultimately transmitted them to the Internal Revenue Service.
Joan alleges that Cohen’s borrowing and tax irregularities led Kelley to contact the IRS Chief Trial Counsel’s Office, State of Kentucky Revenue Cabinet (as one entity was formed there), and later the IRS Fraud Unit, escalating Cohen’s retaliatory campaign against her.
Kelley also provided boxes of financial evidence to Neal Greenberg’s legal team, leading them to advise her that they understood Cohen owed her millions and counseled her to sue him, further intensifying Cohen’s fears of a federal investigation.
In one incident involving cockamamie tax shenanigans, Leonard Cohen's corporate and tax lawyer, acting on Cohen's behalf, attempted to involve Kelley in a convoluted scheme related to an employee corporate annuity or life insurance plan. In response, Kelley sarcastically suggested naming it "The Ekajati Corporation," after the Tibetan Buddhist protector.
She permitted the lawyer to purchase the corporate black beauty binder as evidence of the scheme and later explained the situation to the IRS, including that Cohen and Westin had attempted to involve her in this dubious corporate arrangement—which she unequivocally refused to participate in.
Artwork - The image of Ekajati—wrathful, singularly focused, and unyielding—aligns with Kelley's role in standing firm against Leonard Cohen’s corporate maneuvers, refusing to destroy documents or partake in his self-serving schemes. The name Ekajati Corporation juxtaposes the sacred with the profane, symbolizing Kelley’s recognition of the absurdity and gravity of the situation. It stands as a testament to her ability to navigate complex moral and ethical terrain with both resolve and symbolic understanding.
Fabricated Lawsuits and Smear Campaigns
Joan accuses Cohen of filing false lawsuits against Kelley in retaliation for her refusal to cooperate with questionable tax practices. These lawsuits, she claims, were riddled with fabricated claims, many of which Kelley only learned about years later.
Cohen allegedly enlisted journalists and biographers, including Brian Johnson, Pico Iyer, Leon Wieseltier, Sylvie Simmons, and Robert Faggen, to perpetuate false and defamatory narratives about Kelley’s personal and professional life. Joan claims these writers, while gaining financial and professional rewards, actively ignored contradictory evidence to protect Cohen’s curated public image.
A Dysfunctional Inner Circle
Joan’s declaration exposes dysfunction within Cohen’s personal and professional relationships. She details Kelley’s close ties with Cohen’s children, Adam and Lorca, and her support for Cohen’s sister Esther during her cancer treatment. Despite these bonds, Joan alleges Cohen manipulated his family and associates to turn against Kelley.
Cohen’s then-girlfriend, Anjani Thomas, reportedly convinced him to rewrite estate documents to exclude Kelley and replace her with Anjani Thomas herself, creating rifts with members of his family, including his sister. Cohen also allegedly fired advisers and lawyers who questioned his decisions, including Peter Lopez, Cohen’s transactional attorney, who sought payment for substantial legal fees that Cohen refused to pay, and Rich Feldstein, Cohen’s CPA and business manager, who simply wrote to advise Cohen to pay his estimated taxes.
Sexual Harassment and Vindictiveness
The declaration reveals allegations of sexual harassment, with Joan describing instances where Cohen forced Kelley into degrading situations, including: forcing her to read business documents aloud while he bathed, and viewing explicit and vulgar sexual internet images in front of her during business meetings.
Joan also claims Cohen spread false rumors about Kelley’s romantic life, fabricating stories of affairs or incidents with Oliver Stone and Phil Spector to incite jealousy and discord. Artwork - Kelley Lynch dining with Phil Spector and Oliver Stone at a chic Beverly Hills restaurant.
The SWAT Raid and Custody Battle
One of the most dramatic allegations involves a May 2005 SWAT raid on Kelley’s home. Joan claims this was orchestrated by Cohen to intimidate Kelley, force her into a deal with Cohen (who had already offered her millions that she refused to accept) and, manipulate her in a concocted custody battle over her son.
Kelley called, extremely alarmed, as armed officers surrounded her home,” Joan recounts. “Her son Rutger, who was placed in harm’s way by LAPD, tried to explain that there was no hostage situation, but LAPD ignored him, absurdly claiming their Akita was being held as a hostage. As it turns out, just as Rutger advised LAPD, Kelley was home alone, wearing nothing but a leopard-print Dolce & Gabbana string bikini, accompanied by her Akitas and an African grey parrot who shrieked, ‘I see dead people,’ when LAPD entered her home without a warrant.
Joan alleges Cohen’s lawyer, Robert Kory, played a direct role in coordinating this raid, which she describes as a calculated move to discredit Kelley and silence her. By the time the SWAT incident arose, Kelley, as Cohen and his representatives understood, had already contacted stated and federal tax authorities. Her legal and accounting representatives explained that “once fraud is brought to your attention, you have no choice but to report it.” Artwork - The artwork - Kelley Lynch making a critical phone call to the IRS Commissioner in Washington, D.C. to address the escalating situation involving a SWAT incident at her home, allegations of tax fraud tied to Leonard Cohen, and the aggressive tactics employed against her.
A Master Manipulator?
Joan accuses Cohen of manipulating people, fabricating stories, and using fraudulent restraining orders to silence Kelley. She alleges Cohen even pressured Kelley to sign a fraudulent settlement agreement without legal representation present, threatening her when she refused. Joan further claims Cohen was calling Kelley as early as 3 AM daily, in a state of hysteria and paranoia over tax matters her representatives had uncovered. Artwork - Kelley Lynch sitting up in bed at 3 AM, answering a tense call from Leonard Cohen, a Zen Buddhist monk, who is absolutely hysterical, clutching papers symbolizing tax-related issues.
A Tarnished Legacy
Joan concludes her declaration with a scathing indictment of Leonard Cohen’s legacy. Despite his celebrated artistry, Joan argues Cohen’s manipulations, betrayals, and alleged financial crimes overshadow his achievements.
“Leonard Cohen wasn’t the saint the world believes he was,” Joan writes. “He used people, destroyed lives, and left a trail of devastation.”
What Happens Next?
These allegations present a disturbing picture of Leonard Cohen’s private dealings, with claims of financial misconduct, manipulation, harassment, and betrayal dominating the narrative. For Kelley Lynch, the battle for justice continues as she fights to remedy the harm to her sons and reclaim her reputation.
These revelations cast a long shadow over Leonard Cohen’s image, but the troubling conduct does not end with his passing. Similar patterns of manipulation, financial misconduct, highly questionable – if not illegal - tax strategies, and vindictiveness have persisted with Cohen’s estate, perpetuating a legacy of betrayal and controversy. The estate’s actions mirror Cohen’s own methods, continuing to discredit Kelley Lynch and obscure the financial and tax irregularities she brought to light. This ongoing behavior is not just an extension of Cohen’s tactics but an outrageous affront to justice, raising serious questions about the governance and transparency of the late artist’s legacy.
Disclaimer: The article and accompanying illustrations present Kelley Lynch as a "haute couture Buddhist" hipster character in an imaginative and stylized portrayal. This depiction reflects an artistic and surreal interpretation inspired by the complex legal disputes and public narratives that followed her split from Leonard Cohen. The choice to portray Lynch adorned in jewels and sophisticated attire references Cohen's statements after their parting, where he attributed her alleged “downfall” to extravagant spending on items like jewelry, shoes, and haute couture—a narrative Lynch firmly disputes. The artistic representation, while not intended as a literal portrayal, emphasizes the intensity and multifaceted nature of her legal claims, offering a metaphorical view into the high-stakes drama of her experience. This stylized depiction serves to underscore the layers of conflict, public perception, and personal resilience inherent in her story.
Copyright © 2024 Kelley Lynch. Unauthorized reproduction of this article or artwork is strictly prohibited.
Artwork - Kelley Lynch w/ His Holiness Kusum Lingpa
The lion-faced dakini. In the Nyingma terma tradition, she is considered as one of the many forms of Padmasambhava, specifically a secret form of Guru Rinpoche.
Lunatic prosecutor attacking Kelley Lynch over her ex-husband's great uncle shouting that his historical statement is a threat.
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An Ocean of Cruelty:
"An Ocean of Cruelty Towards Her Sons"
Amidst a relentless storm of hardship, Kelley Lynch navigates an ocean of cruelty that extends its wrath to her sons. Through relentless legal battles, public defamation, and targeted harassment, they too have been pulled into the tides of injustice. Yet, as waves of cruelty crash around her, Kelley stands resilient, embodying the fierce determination of a protector. Her story is one of a mother fighting not only for her own dignity but for the truth and well-being of her family, refusing to let the storm consume their spirit.
Kelley Lynch stands amidst a stormy, chaotic landscape, her elegant Tibetan Buddhist-inspired haute couture clothing symbolizing resilience and spirituality in the face of profound devastation. The fragmented light and dark storm clouds swirling around her represent the emotional turmoil she endures upon learning of the alleged harm caused by the LA City Attorney—her mother’s stroke, her father’s suffering, and her son’s suicide attempt. Adding to the cruelty, a lying, deranged prosecutor had the audacity to inquire about her father’s stroke, weaponizing her family’s pain in an attempt to further demean and destabilize her.
Despite the overwhelming cruelty, Kelley’s stance is one of unyielding strength and resolve. In the background, a faint, glowing figure of her mother and a shadowed, somber figure of her son highlight the fragility of life and the immense personal toll of these events. The scene captures her anguish yet unwavering determination to confront injustice, standing as a powerful testament to her courage and resilience amidst unimaginable pain and betrayal.
