Ne-Yo, Brian McKnight bilked by sports drink scam: prosecutor

CINCINNATI — A New Jersey man is accused of running a multimillion-dollar scam that bilked singers Ne-Yo and Brian McKnight, who invested in a sports drink company.

Kevin Foster, of Montclair, faces 16 charges including wire fraud, money laundering, bankruptcy fraud and tax evasion.

Six of those charges were added Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.

Foster, who served as Ne-Yo’s business manager, is accused of convincing the star to invest $2 million in a drink called OXYwater. Prosecutors say the 42-year-old Foster didn’t disclose that he served as a controller for the business or that he earned commission on investments.

Prosecutors say Foster pulled a similar scheme on R&B star McKnight to keep the business solvent.

A message seeking comment from his attorney wasn’t immediately returned Thursday.