How low, J.Lo?
Jennifer Lopez has received more than $10 million for singing to despots and moguls from eastern Europe and Russia, according to research by the nonprofit Human Rights Foundation.
Lopez’s performances emerged following a birthday serenade for Turkmenistan’s authoritarian ruler, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, last month.
HRF highlights four of Lopez’s other questionable business dealings:
– In July 2011, Lopez was paid $1 million by Uzbek industrialist Azam Aslanov to perform at the wedding of his son
– In September 2012, Lopez was booked by officials in Azerbaijan to perform at a FIFA soccer tournament, and negotiated a contract for a music festival
– In October 2012, Lopez performed in Belarus, a dictatorship
– In November 2012, Lopez traveled to Russia to sing for Alexander Yolkin, a bureaucrat accused of corruption
Following Lopez’s June 29 performance in Turkmenistan – in which she was paid a reported $1.5 million – her spokesman said she regretted the incident and had no knowledge of human-rights issues surrounding Berdymukhamedov, a repressive leader accused of imprisoning and torturing critics.
HRF president Thor Halvorssen says Lopez and her managers have misled fans.
“J.Lo has repeatedly mingled with and entertained some of the world’s worst thugs and their cronies,” Halvorssen said in a statement.
“This is not about ignorance, it’s about greed.”
Lopez’s representatives have not responded to HRF’s claims.