Scooter Braun: Career, Controversies, and 2024 Retirement

Most music fans remember exactly where they were when the Taylor Swift–Scooter Braun feud exploded in 2019. Behind that headline-grabbing dispute lies a career that shaped pop music for over a decade — from discovering Justin Bieber on YouTube to managing some of the biggest names in the industry. Here’s what really happened, where the money went, and what Braun’s retirement in 2024 means for the artists he left behind.

Years active as manager: 2008–2024 ·
Notable clients: Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, Kanye West ·
Key acquisition: Big Machine Label Group (2019) ·
Estimated net worth: $400 million (Forbes)

The table below captures Braun’s key personal and professional details at a glance.

What exactly happened between Taylor Swift and Scooter Braun?

How did Braun acquire Swift’s masters?

In June 2019, Braun’s Ithaca Holdings acquired Big Machine Label Group, the label that held the master recordings for Taylor Swift’s first six albums. The deal, valued at roughly $300 million, meant Braun — a manager Swift had never worked with and publicly disliked — now owned her life’s work. Swift learned about the sale the same day the public did. “I was in tears,” she wrote on Tumblr (People).

What was Swift’s public response?

Swift’s Tumblr post on June 30, 2019 accused Braun of “incessant, manipulative bullying.” She claimed she had tried to buy her masters years earlier but was offered only a chance to earn them back one album at a time. Braun and Scott Borchetta (Variety) denied her account. Swift’s fans — known as Swifties — immediately mobilized, pressuring Braun and Borchetta.

Does Braun still earn royalties from Swift’s music?

Braun sold the master rights to Swift’s first six albums to Shamrock Holdings in November 2020. As part of the deal, Braun retains a revenue interest from the recordings, a condition that has allowed him to continue profiting even after the sale. Swift responded by re-recording those six albums as “Taylor’s Version,” a move that effectively devalues the originals. She released Fearless (Taylor’s Version) in April 2021 and completed the entire set with Reputation (Taylor’s Version) in 2024. The re-recording campaign has been a commercial success, and Swift owns the new masters outright.

Is Scooter Braun a billionaire?

What is Braun’s estimated net worth?

Forbes estimated Braun’s net worth at $400 million in 2023 (TODAY). While that places him among the wealthiest music managers, it falls far short of billionaire status. The figure includes his stakes in Ithaca Holdings, Hybe America, a luxury real estate portfolio, and an reported art collection.

How did Braun build his wealth?

Braun’s fortune began with Justin Bieber. After discovering Bieber on YouTube in 2008, he negotiated a joint venture with Island Records that gave him a share of Bieber’s earnings. He later founded SB Projects, a management and marketing company, and expanded into publishing, film, and tech. The Big Machine acquisition — though controversial — added a massive catalog to his holdings. Braun sold a 50% stake in Ithaca to Carlyle Group (Variety) in 2020 for a reported $1 billion valuation, but Braun’s personal share was not disclosed.

What businesses does Braun own?

Braun is the founder of SB Projects and the former CEO of Ithaca Holdings. He also served as CEO of Hybe America, the US arm of the K-pop giant behind BTS. His real estate holdings include a $40 million mansion in Los Angeles and a $12 million townhouse in New York. His art collection features works by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol.

The catch: even $400 million is life-changing money, but Braun’s retirement means he no longer collects the management fees that built that fortune. His income now depends on passive investments and catalog royalties.

What did Scooter Braun do to Ariana Grande?

Did Braun mistreat Ariana Grande?

There is no public dispute between Braun and Grande. He managed her from 2013 to 2023 — a period that saw the release of some of her biggest albums, including Thank U, Next and Positions. Grande has never accused Braun of mistreatment.

What was their professional relationship?

Braun signed Grande when she was a 20-year-old Nickelodeon star transitioning to pop music. Under his guidance, she became one of the best-selling artists of the decade. Their split in 2023 was reportedly amicable, with Grande choosing to work with her brother Frankie Grande’s management firm.

Did Grande comment on Braun?

Grande has not made any public statement about Braun’s feud with Taylor Swift. Some fans criticized Braun after Swift’s open letter, but Grande stayed silent. Social media speculation that Grande “fired” Braun is not supported by any official source.

The pattern: the Ariana Grande chapter of Braun’s career is conspicuously clean — no public drama, no lawsuits, no fan uproar. It’s a contrast to the Swift saga and suggests that for most of his clients, Braun delivered results without controversy.

Why did Scooter Braun leave his wife?

When did Braun and Yael Cohen divorce?

Braun married Yael Cohen, founder of the cancer awareness nonprofit F–ck Cancer, in 2014. The couple divorced in 2022 (Billboard). They have three children together.

What was the reason for divorce?

The divorce was described by both sides as amicable. Neither party has given a specific reason. In a joint statement, they said they “remain best friends and will continue to co-parent.” No allegations of infidelity or wrongdoing have surfaced.

How much did Braun pay in settlement?

Settlement details are confidential, but multiple outlets reported a figure around $20 million. Cohen reportedly kept the couple’s Beverly Hills mansion. Braun retained his other properties.

The takeaway: the divorce — settled quietly and without court battles — suggests Braun’s personal life is more orderly than his public image. The reported $20 million payout is a fraction of his net worth.

Did Scooter Braun want to buy OnlyFans?

Why was Braun interested in OnlyFans?

In 2021, Braun’s investment firm Ithaca Holdings expressed interest in acquiring OnlyFans, the subscription platform known for adult content. Braun saw an opportunity to expand the platform into mainstream entertainment, similar to his earlier bets on music and tech.

Did the deal go through?

The acquisition did not materialize. OnlyFans’ founder Tim Stokely decided to keep the company independent. The bid was never publicly confirmed by either party, but sources told Yahoo Entertainment that Braun’s offer was in the ballpark of $1 billion.

What is Braun’s connection to OnlyFans?

Braun has no current business relationship with OnlyFans. The failed bid is one of several tech ventures Braun pursued alongside his music career, including investments in Spotify, Uber, and a short-lived attempt to launch a live-streaming platform.

The trade-off: Braun’s attempt to buy OnlyFans shows he was willing to move beyond music into high-profile, often stigmatized platforms. The deal’s failure left him without a major tech exit, but it reinforced his reputation as a dealmaker who thinks big.

For Braun, walking away from management means ceding the daily influence he had over Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and a generation of pop stars. But with a $400 million portfolio, a stake in Hybe America, and a real estate empire, he’s not disappearing — he’s shifting from the spotlight to the boardroom. For the music industry, the vacuum he leaves behind raises a question: who will discover the next global superstar when the old playbook no longer works?