In a video that has gone viral, former Creed frontman and Christian solo artist Scott Stapp this week lashed out at reports that he has relapsed back into drug and alcohol addiction, while asserting that he is the victim of persecution.
Last week, tabloid website GossipExtra posted a number of things about Stapp, asserting that he had relapsed, his wife was filing for divorce, he was in rehab, and he was becoming increasingly paranoid.
In a low-fi video posted to Creed's official Facebook page, Stapp addressed his fans.
"I'm sure you've heard the many rumors and the slanderous, libelous accusations over the last few weeks," he said, and added that in addition to the drug and alcohol rumors, there were reports that he had died.
"I'm as sober as can be," he said, noting that as soon as the accusations came out, he began getting weekly blood and urine tests to prove his sobriety.
"I wanted to let me fans and friends out there know that right now I'm under some kind of pretty vicious attack," he continued.
Stapp said that the trouble started about 8 weeks ago when he began a financial audit of his personal finances and those of his record company, Wind-Up Records--an audit that Stapp says revealed that "a lot of money" was stolen and that "a lot of royalties" weren't paid to him.
In addition, he said the IRS froze his assets--he claims the tax agency admitted a clerical error and would return his funds in nine to ten months--and asserted that unknown persons accessed his bank account and transferred all the money out of it, essentially leaving him penniless. He said he's been living in a hotel, which was a step up after having to sleep in his truck for "a couple of weeks" before that. He said the situation forced him not to eat for several days, which landed him in the emergency room.
"My civil rights have been violated," he said, noting that he is looking for an honest attorney to help him. "This all will be public. I'm gonna take it public. I'm gonna expose and gonna fight every single individual who is responsible for this.
"To those persecuting me, I'm not going to stop sharing what Christ has done in my life."
Stapp didn't mention anything about his wife of 8 years, Jaclyn, who had indeed filed a divorce petition with Palm Beach County, Florida.
Be praying for Scott Stapp, for his family and three children, and for the truth--whatever that may be--to come out.
