The gospel and worship world has been shaken this week as new details emerge surrounding the sudden departures of Chandler Moore and Naomi Raine from Maverick City Music — and the explosive lawsuit filed by Moore against the group’s co-founder and current CEO, Norman Gyamfi.
Within days of their public exit, federal court filings and investigative reporting have painted a picture of deep internal conflict, financial disputes, and alleged misconduct that could reshape how business is done in faith-based music.
🏛️ The Lawsuit: Filed in Federal Court
According to filings in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia (Case No. 1:25-cv-05635), Chandler Moore and his company MoWorks LLC filed a lawsuit in late September 2025 against Norman Gyamfi and several related corporate entities, including Insignia Holding Co., TRIBL Records, TRIBL Publishing, and Maverick City Music, Inc.
The complaint accuses Gyamfi — who managed both Moore’s personal and professional affairs from 2020 to 2023 — of breach of fiduciary duty, forgery, fraud, and misappropriation of funds and intellectual property.
⚠️ Key Allegations From the Court Filing
Based on court documents and reporting from Law360 and Relevant Magazine, here’s what’s alleged:
1. Control and Access
Moore claims Gyamfi had “access to nearly all aspects” of his career and finances while serving as his business manager, which included managing publishing, touring, and recording decisions.
2. Unauthorized Ownership & Transfers
The suit alleges that Gyamfi quietly obtained an ownership stake in Maverick City Music without Moore’s knowledge and “secretly transferred” Moore’s own ownership and copyright interests in his songs to Maverick City entities.
3. Unauthorized Master Sale
In 2021, Gyamfi allegedly brokered a deal to sell Moore’s master recordings to Orchard Enterprises, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment, without Moore’s consent.
4. Forged Publishing Agreement
When Essential Music Publishing (Sony’s Christian music division) requested documentation, Gyamfi allegedly produced a forged publishing agreement assigning 50% of Moore’s rights to Maverick City Music and granting the company “irrevocable power of attorney” to act on Moore’s behalf.
5. Unpaid Advances and Royalties
The lawsuit references a 2024 production deal between Moore and TRIBL Records in which Moore agreed to deliver an album, 40 tour dates, and 12 new compositions in exchange for $1.75 million in advances and a 15% ownership stake in Maverick City.
Moore claims he fulfilled his obligations but never received full payment or accurate royalty statements.
6. Fraudulent Business Practices
The complaint states:
“Defendants’ unlawful, fraudulent and unconscionable business practices have tainted every agreement between plaintiffs and defendants.”
Moore is seeking compensatory and punitive damages and is asking the court to void all allegedly fraudulent contracts.
🧾 Corporate Entities Cited in the Lawsuit
The filing identifies multiple entities as Gyamfi’s “corporate alter egos,” including:
- Insignia Holding Co.
- Insignia Assets LLC
- TRIBL Records & TRIBL Publishing
- Maverick City Music Inc. and Maverick City Music Publishing LLC
According to the complaint, these companies were allegedly controlled by Gyamfi to further his own financial interests.
💬 Chandler Moore and Naomi Raine’s Departures
On October 6, 2025, Chandler Moore and Naomi Raine publicly announced they were leaving Maverick City Music.
Moore described the past two years as a time of reflection and redirection, calling the decision “bittersweet but full of fresh vision and excitement about the future.”
He wrote that his mission remains to create music that helps people feel “a little more human, a little more understood, and a little less alone.”
Naomi Raine echoed the sentiment, calling it “not an ending but a new beginning” and thanking supporters and collaborators who helped shape the Maverick City journey.
Their announcements now carry deeper context, coming just days after Moore’s lawsuit filing.
🎙️ Norman Gyamfi’s Controversial Podcast Comments
Even before the lawsuit surfaced, Gyamfi had stirred controversy across the gospel community.
During an appearance on The Isaac Carree Show, he described gospel music as “stale” and “not evolving”, claiming that many artists “oversing” and that choirs and traditional arrangements are “not what listeners want anymore.”
Those remarks drew backlash from across the industry, with artists and pastors — including Marvin Sapp — defending gospel’s rich vocal and cultural heritage while calling for unity and reform, not dismissal.
Now, in light of the lawsuit, some see those comments as part of a larger narrative about control, creativity, and the commercialization of worship.
⚡ Industry Impact and What’s Next
The lawsuit has sent shockwaves through both gospel and CCM circles.
Maverick City Music — once celebrated as a model of collaboration and diversity — now faces questions about business transparency, artist rights, and governance.
As of this writing:
- No official comment has been made by Norman Gyamfi or Maverick City Music regarding the lawsuit.
- Representatives for Chandler Moore have declined further public statements pending the case’s progression.
- The case docket shows the initial complaint filed with attached exhibits; no response from the defense has yet been logged.
If the allegations hold, this could become one of the most consequential lawsuits in modern gospel music history — raising awareness about contracts, ownership, and integrity in collective-based creative structures.
🧭 Bigger Picture
Beyond the legal headlines, this situation represents a crossroads for the faith-based music industry.
It forces hard but necessary conversations about how artists protect their rights, how managers handle trust, and how ministries-turned-labels navigate both calling and commerce.
As Moore and Raine move forward independently, one thing remains certain: their influence helped shape the sound of a generation — and the world will be watching what happens next.
Sources
- PACER / Northern District of Georgia — Moore et al v. Gyamfi et al, Case No. 1:25-cv-05635 (filed Sept 2025)
- Relevant Magazine — “Chandler Moore Sues Former Manager and Maverick City Music CEO Norman Gyamfi” (Oct 2025)
- Law360 — Singer Says Ex-Manager’s Forgery Might Cost Him ‘Millions’ (Oct 2025)
- EBONY / Word In Black / Religion News Service — Coverage of Gyamfi’s “stale gospel” remarks (Aug–Sept 2025)
- Chandler Moore & Naomi Raine Official Statements (Instagram, Oct 2025)
- Gospel Music Buzz Research & Coverage (2025)
