A former Pearl Jam accountant has plead guilty to felony theft charges after stealing money from the Seattle band.
The Seattle Post Intelligencer reports Rickey Charles Goodrich used his position as chief financial officer at Pearl Jam’s management company, Curtis Management, to steal $380,000 in the four years before he was fired in September 2010.
Seattle Police claim Goodrich’s thefts cost the management company $566,000, including investigative expenses. Goodrich, a 55-year-old resident of Novato, California, is also alleged to have admitted to admitted to owing his former employer hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Goodrich pleaded guilty to six counts of first-degree theft. Prosecutors will likely ask that Goodrich be sentenced to six months in jail when he is sentenced in February. If Goodrich hasn’t paid back the full amount he stole by then, though, prosecutors will request a 14-month prison sentence.
Initially facing 33 theft charges, Goodrich transferred money from company accounts to pay his debts; he also used band credit cards to pay for personal expenses, including family vacations and wine.
Goodrich was hired by Pearl Jam Touring Co. in 2005 as the band’s accountant and financial officer. He was hired on at Curtis Inc. the following year, and assumed control over all financial matters related to Pearl Jam’s tours.
Goodrich is due to return to court on February 21 for sentencing.
Pearl Jam recently wrapped up a fall North American tour in support of their latest album, “Lightning Bolt.”
The band return to live action next month in Australia for a series of dates on the country’s annual Big Day Out festival; the traveling 6-show event runs January 17 to February 2.
Eddie Vedder has also announced a solo tour of the country – for details and dates, click here.
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