Grammy-winning artist Usher has filed a lawsuit in Fulton County, accusing an Atlanta attorney and several well-known music industry figures of mishandling a $1.7 million loan he provided for a Buckhead restaurant project. Usher claims they failed to return the remaining $700,000 when the deal fell apart.

According to the complaint, filed on Nov. 14 in Fulton County Superior Court, Usher says he agreed in late 2024 to lend money to a group of partners planning to open "Homage ATL," a high-end restaurant and lounge on Piedmont Road. The singer did not agree to invest in the business but agreed to provide short-term funding so the group could purchase the planned property.

The lawsuit names Atlanta attorney Alcide Honoré, as well as music producers Bryan-Michael Cox, Keith Thomas, Charles Hughes, and several of their affiliated companies.

Loan was meant only for property purchase, lawsuit says

Usher claims the partners told him they needed the money urgently to close on the $6.35 million Buckhead property. Court documents state he wired $1.7 million directly into Honoré's attorney trust account on Jan. 8, 2025, money that, under Georgia law, was required to be held safely and used only for its intended purpose.

But the property was never purchased.

The lawsuit states that negotiations dragged on for months, and the singer eventually demanded his loan back. In August, he received $1 million, leaving a balance of $700,000.

Usher alleges Honoré admitted during a phone call that the remaining funds had been used for "other purposes," even though they were supposed to stay untouched in the attorney trust account. In another conversation, Usher's team says Honoré claimed the money had been moved to a title company but gave no documentation to support this claim.

The lawsuit also states that Honoré later told Usher's team he was trying to recover some of the funds by "working with the Florida Office of Financial Regulation," but never explained why.

Despite repeated demands, Usher says the remaining $700,000 has never been returned.

Claims include fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and conversion

Usher accuses Honoré of breaking his duties as a lawyer, misusing funds held in trust, and refusing to return money that was his by law. The suit also accuses the other defendants, described as the "Defendant Investor Group," of breaching their agreement by failing to purchase the property and then retaining money that did not belong to them.

In total, the lawsuit seeks $4.9 million: $700,000 for each of the seven claims, plus interest, legal fees, and punitive damages.

Producer Bryan-Michael Cox responds

After news of the lawsuit surfaced, renowned producer Bryan-Michael Cox posted a statement on Instagram distancing himself from the financial dispute.

"I've learned a lot recently about being careful with who you choose to invest in… While the situation has been disappointing, I know my name will be cleared," he wrote.

He added that he was "only a passive minority shareholder" in a company tied to the deal and "was not a participant in that business transaction."

Cox also emphasized that his longtime friendship with Usher "remains fully intact." The two worked together on hit songs such as "Burn," "Confessions Part II," and "U Got It Bad."

Attorney Honoré has not publicly responded

As of Friday, Honoré had not filed a response to the complaint. The lawsuit claims he has never accounted for the missing loan balance.