Taking Stock: Rihanna's new video 'stars' a wealthy accountant
In the video the Bajan superstar can be seen kidnapping the accountant's wife and holding out for a ransom
ACCOUNTANTS rarely take a starring role in expansively explicit and wildly expensive pop videos.
But that’s all history thanks to the release of RnB pop siren Rihanna’s latest single – and seven minute visual treat – Bitch Better Have My Money.
The ‘bitch’ in question, just in case you hadn’t guessed already, is none other than her male ‘fictional’ accountant.
In the graphic – and, some may argue, highly misogynicstic – video, the Bajan superstar can be seen kidnapping his wife, torturing her and then despatching the victim on failing to secure a ransom. The same bloody fate later awaits the accountant.
Readers with a memory for these things will recall that Rihanna filed a lawsuit against her former accountants following an Internal Revenue Service audit, back in 2012.
In a lawsuit filed in a Manhattan federal court, the singer and her tour company Tourihanna sought damages and loss of earnings from former accountancy firm Berdon, and ex-employees Michael Mitnick and Peter Gounis, during their working relationship from 2005 to 2010.
The suit claimed an “unusual” deal was struck which saw the accountants earn commission on the singer’s gross receipts that were “exorbitant and expensive”. The firm earned about 23% from Rihanna’s tours compared to the 6% earned by the singer herself.
Rihanna’s legal team claimed that the firm failed to uncover millions in unpaid royalties, failed to keep proper records of expenses, mishandled foreign and domestic taxes and failed to file taxes on time. The singer also claimed that because of Berdon’s mishandling of tax returns between 2008 and 2010, the IRS is auditing her finances.
A $10m (£6.4m) out-of-court settlement was reached between the parties in 2014.
Not an overly obvious recruiting tool for the profession, then.