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Against Brand News front singer Jesse Lacey, allegations regarding grooming and other “inappropriate behavior” towards minors were once again expressed.
On April 4, a woman published her allegations against Lacey under the name Aiyana on the “Medium” platform. She told how the singer allegedly abused and manipulated her from 2006. At that time she was said to have been 15 years old while Lacey was already 20. The new descriptions are lined up with many further accusations that have been against the musician in the past decade.
Lacey’s actions are “pattern of grooming”
In the article, Aiyana tells in detail how she supposedly met the singer and began to be in regular contact with him. According to the explanations, his behavior quickly became questionable. Hugs and suggestive comments in which he wanted, for example, that Aiyana was older, are said to have been part of “a greater pattern of grooming”. More precisely, it says: “What I didn’t know at the time was that my admiration was manipulated. Jesse knew exactly how he could give me the feeling of being seen, even being something special by using the dynamics of power between a fan and a public person to his advantage.” Aiyana’s environment, such as her mother, is also not said to have remained unaffected by the manipulation.
Extensive comments are said to have not only come from the band’s front man. So a tour manager Aiyana and a friend of her supposedly wrote: “You two are so cute-Jesse and I just talked about how we would love to cuddle with you in the tour bus.”
The contact between the teenager and the singer supposedly seems to have been linked to certain conditions, according to her announcements. In the post, she explains that after her account was hacked with the conversation with Lacey and some screenshots were forwarded from it, which is said to have put you under pressure to keep the relationship between the two privately. According to Aiyana, he was aware of how questioning the type of contact of the two was, because according to her, he explained the following: “You have become a close girlfriend, even one of my best friends, and although we understand our relationship, others may not understand if they no longer know.”
After the last allegations, the band took a break
In 2017 there were already similar allegations. Three women accused Lacey that he was supposed to have the trust of minors at the time before, in order to then ask them to send him suggestive photos. According to the accusers, the accusers also have traumatizing attacks via webcam and personal encounters.
At the time, Lacey apologized shortly after the allegations became known with an official statement in which he stated that he was sorry for his “past acts”. At that time he was “selfish, narcissistic and insensitive” and had been controlled by his “lust, sex, love and arousal”, which would have served him as a tool to cope with his own problems. Brand News have taken a band break in recent years, but will now return with their tour coming up in the coming month.
Inadequate apology and no reasonable consequences
This is exactly why Aiyana saw a suitable time to tell her story. According to her, the band should not go on tour if this type of accusations are in the room. In my knowledge, she said: “In my knowledge, he has not yet called concrete behaviors that were problematic – like grooming, manipulation and coercion – and he never turned to the victims to try any form of reparation … to defend him by saying that he had” served his time in therapy ‘, suggested that personal growth is not clear. “
According to Aiyana, she had carried out trauma. And “the damage” that he is said to have accompanied her would accompany her for years. It is therefore said to have had problems with promiscuity and self -esteem, as well as a complex post -traumatic stress disorder, because of which it is still being treated today.