Music
Lou Reed's manager arrested for aggravated harassment
by Ciaran Thompson
March 23, 2011
Lou Reed’s manager Tommy Sarig was arrested by police in New York on Sunday and has been charged with aggravated harassment after he apparently threatened to kill a consultant regarding a money dispute.
Sarig is said to have threatened Adrian Smith, who helps celebrities find personal assistants, after he attempted to collect a $11,500 fee for recently helping Reed select a new assistant. According to The Village Voice, Smith claims Sarig said he would send Israeli hit men to kill him if he continued to demand payment.
“Our guys in Israel are going to fly in and they will kill you,” was one of the quotes Smith used to describe Sarig’s threat. He also claims he said, “You want your fucking head in a bag? By the time they find you, they’ll be back in Israel having a drink. Keep harassing us for money, you’re a fucking dead man.”
If convicted, Sarig could face up to a year in jail. Prior to managing artists such as Bryan Ferry, Rickie Lee Jones and Cake, Sarig was senior vice president at MCA Records and has no prior criminal history. He will appear in court on an unspecified date.
