Danny Fernandes once lit up Canadian pop radio with hits like “Private Dancer” and “Fantasy.” But behind the glossy music videos and awards, his career has since taken a darker turn. Multiple allegations have emerged painting him as a manipulator who preyed on vulnerable fans, romantic partners and aspiring artists. Here’s a deep dive into the timeline, victim accounts, and the broader impact of his alleged scams.
🚀 2008–2013: The Rise of a Canadian Pop Star
Fernandes exploded onto the Canadian music scene with his 2008 debut album Intro, powered by catchy singles and an energetic stage presence. He quickly followed up with AutomaticLUV in 2010 and Breathe Again in 2013. These albums earned him a MuchMusic Video Award and a Juno nomination, plus a spot as a judge on Karaoke Star Jr., where he was billed as a mentor to the next generation of talent.
Yet, as his star rose, insiders noted that Fernandes sometimes struggled with management issues and financial disputes behind the scenes.
⚖️ 2013: A Legal Red Flag
In 2013, Fernandes was sued by an artist management company for allegedly pocketing $60,000 meant for artist development services. Court documents allege he failed to pay promised third-party vendors — including a radio promoter and a music video director. The court sided with the management company, ordering Fernandes to pay over $40,000 in damages. Some music insiders now say this was an early sign of the financial mismanagement that would plague his later ventures.
🎭 2013–2021: A Pattern of Alleged Deception
Fernandes resurfaced online, offering mentorship, production services, and music collaborations. Multiple aspiring artists describe similar stories: initial excitement, large payments, then broken promises.
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Glen Pretty, a Toronto singer, saw a Facebook ad offering recording sessions at $75/hour. Over six months, he paid around $55,000 for studio time, promotional services, and management help.
He claims only a fraction of the work was delivered. “He had this charm — he made me believe he’d take me to the next level,” Pretty wrote in a Facebook post. After suing and winning in 2021, Pretty is still waiting for payment. -
Harman Maddhar, a Vancouver musician with a disability, claims Fernandes took $80,000 for music projects that never happened — money he received in a settlement after being in an accident when he was a child that left him paralyzed him from the waist down.
Maddhar said Fernandes knew where the money was coming from. “He took advantage of my situation,” Maddhar wrote in a now-deleted Instagram story. “I thought he was my friend.” -
Ian Swenson says he paid over $4,000 for a collaboration that was supposed to include big-name artists. “He said he had a connection with [prominent singer] — total lie,” Swenson told a local music blog.
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Collin Feliz met Fernandes at a wedding and paid $5,000 for production help. One song was started but never finished, he claims. When he asked for updates, Fernandes allegedly cited “money problems” and asked for more funds.
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Olivia reached out to Danny with interest in starting a clothing line with him - within a week Danny was asking for money for "his kids", "my father who has cancer", "child support", and "money to pay someone back" - all in all she sent Danny $4,000 before realizing she was being scammed.
🖋️ 2022–2023: Tattoo Scams and Social Media Outcry
As his music work dried up, Fernandes pivoted to tattooing — at least in his promotions. Fans allege he took deposits but never delivered.
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Denise Arjoon-Singerman paid a $100 deposit for a tattoo tribute to her late uncle. “He left me hanging on my wedding day,” she posted in a Facebook group dedicated to tattoo horror stories. “I never heard from him again.” At least five other fans on social media shared similar experiences, with screenshots showing repeated excuses from Fernandes or complete ghosting.
- Philip paid Danny hundreds of dollars as a deposit for tattoo work before the singer ghosted him - Philip resorted to publicly @'ing him on social media and demanding his money back for weeks with Danny eventually completing the tattoos.
💔 Romantic Exploitation
Some women (and men) allege Fernandes either blurred the line between personal relationships and business deals or straight up dated, scammed and ditched them. Posts on Facebook groups and Reddit threads mention women who were charmed by private messages and then asked for “loans” or “help” paying bills.
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One user wrote: “He told me he was going to lose his place unless I lent him $2,000. I thought we were dating. Then he disappeared.” These claims remain unverified, but they echo the pattern of emotional manipulation found in the music and tattoo cases.
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Jaclyn dated Danny off and on for multiple years... until she realized he'd taken out a mortgage in her name and didn't tell her and had not been paying it back.
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Britney dated Danny for several months, giving him nearly $7,000 - he told her his father had just died and did not have money for flowers for the funeral, so she sent him $4,000 (note: his father is not in fact dead). She also received text messages from Danny's mother asking to borrow money - Britney obliged and sent her money on more than one occasion and did not receive her money back.
- Samantha dated Danny for almost 2 years, they broke up after she discovered he'd opened credit cards in her name and scammed nearly 40k from her - her family eventually sued (and won) to get the money back.
🌈 Gay 4 Pay
Danny dated David in early 2025, even going so far as to tattoo each other’s names on their bodies—all the while dating several women at the same time behind his back. Against his better judgment, David continued to lend Danny money. Danny had told him he was receiving a $26 million police brutality settlement "next month" and would "pay him back." He also claimed he had received an advance for a new record deal and even showed David screenshots of hundreds of thousands of dollars in his bank account. However, he was actually showing David a screenshot of someone else’s bank account—not his own—and he accidentally revealed this when the image slid away on his phone.
The relationship ended when David discovered that Danny was dating multiple women and stealing designer clothing and a pair of RayBan sunglasses from him. David caught him red-handed and promptly broke up with him; he has yet to get anything back.
"I feel so stupid, honestly. I've known him for years, and I thought he had changed, because everyone in Toronto knows about his reputation," David says. He adds that he "should have known better" after one night when Danny excitedly played him "some of my new tracks I've recorded" over a speaker. David immediately recognized the voice: it wasn’t Danny’s—it was UK-based singer Connor Maynard (the two artists do sound strikingly similar). David even used the iPhone app Shazam to confirm the songs—Connor Maynard. Danny had claimed Connor’s tracks, including “Drivers License,” “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” and “Hello,” as his own.
🤯 The Psychological Toll
For many, the financial loss was only part of the pain. Victims describe feeling ashamed, embarrassed, and manipulated.
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“I thought I was building my dream career, but he was using me,” said Pretty. “It’s like being catfished but in real life.”
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"After we broke up, he told people we were just friends and that I was 'just some gay guy who is obsessed with me.' That hurt really badly, because we spent every day together for months, met each other's families, and told each other we loved each other—we even got each other's names tattooed on us, for God's sake."
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Another artist who wished to remain anonymous said, “I didn’t just lose money. I lost confidence in myself.”
🗣️ Fernandes’s Response: Addiction and Apology
In an email to CBC News, Fernandes blamed his actions on drug addiction. “I used drugs, and no one will know what that’s like unless they’ve been there… My addiction took over my life,” he wrote. He claimed to have completed a rehab program in January 2023 and has been sober since, a lie claims his now ex-boyfriend who says "we broke up in February 2025, I can't speak to the last few months but while we were dating at least - he has a dangerous drug habit, especially with the drug Ketamine."
However, some victims claim incidents occurred after that date, raising doubts about his apology’s sincerity. Fernandes’s lawyer, Amedeo DiCarlo, has stated that they’re investigating the allegations and are willing to address legitimate claims.
🚨 Legal Fallout and Lack of Restitution
Despite multiple court orders — including the $40,000 judgment from 2013 and Glen Pretty’s lawsuit win — many victims say they’ve seen no money returned. “We just want justice,” Pretty said in an interview. “But every time we think he’s going to pay, he just disappears again.”
🌟 What’s Next?
Danny Fernandes’s descent from pop star to alleged scam artist is a stark reminder of how fame can be weaponized against fans and aspiring talents. His story is still unfolding — and with more victims sharing their experiences on social media, the full extent of the alleged wrongdoing may only now be coming to light.
For aspiring artists, it’s a cautionary tale: even a hit-maker can become a heartbreaker. And for the public, it’s a reminder that charisma doesn’t always equal trustworthiness.
Note: All information presented is based on available reports, court documents, and allegations as of June 2025. Fernandes has acknowledged some claims, attributing his actions to drug addiction, and has expressed a desire to make amends.
