Shinedown, Alice in Chains accused of spending pandemic grant money on themselves

Artists including Shinedown and Alice in Chains allegedly used funds granted to them by a COVID-19 relief program on themselves, Business Insider reports. 

The bands received the loans through the Shuttered Venue Operations Grant, a program that aimed to support independent artists and venues amid the pandemic. Those who applied for a grant had to attest that they needed funds to cover “ordinary and necessary” expenses of an “ongoing operation,” while proving that their revenue had fallen by at least 25% between the same quarters in 2019 and 2020.

According to Business Insider, Shinedown received an $8.3 million grant; $2.5 million was split between three of the band’s four members. All four members were reportedly also paid over $100,000 each from a $1.2 million chunk of the grant allocated for payroll.

Meanwhile, $650,000 was reportedly split between 15 touring and production workers, meaning each person received, on average, less than what the Shinedown members allegedly paid themselves.

Alice in Chains, meanwhile, were reportedly granted $4.1 million allocated for payroll, $3.4 million of which went to members Jerry Cantrell, Sean Kinney and Mike Inez.

Business Insider reports that records indicate Alice in Chains did not use the grant money to pay for health insurance while also publicly promoting a GoFundMe for longtime crew member and photographer Scott Dachroeden amid his battle with cancer. Dachroeden died in November 2022.

A rep for Shinedown has not responded to ABC Audio’s request for comment. A rep for Cantrell offered no comment.

Artists including Shinedown and Alice in Chains allegedly used funds granted to them by a COVID-19 relief program on themselves, Business Insider reports. 

The bands received the loans through the Shuttered Venue Operations Grant, a program that aimed to support independent artists and venues amid the pandemic. Those who applied for a grant had to attest that they needed funds to cover “ordinary and necessary” expenses of an “ongoing operation,” while proving that their revenue had fallen by at least 25% between the same quarters in 2019 and 2020.

According to Business Insider, Shinedown received an $8.3 million grant; $2.5 million was split between three of the band’s four members. All four members were reportedly also paid over $100,000 each from a $1.2 million chunk of the grant allocated for payroll.

Meanwhile, $650,000 was reportedly split between 15 touring and production workers, meaning each person received, on average, less than what the Shinedown members allegedly paid themselves.

Alice in Chains, meanwhile, were reportedly granted $4.1 million allocated for payroll, $3.4 million of which went to members Jerry Cantrell, Sean Kinney and Mike Inez.

Business Insider reports that records indicate Alice in Chains did not use the grant money to pay for health insurance while also publicly promoting a GoFundMe for longtime crew member and photographer Scott Dachroeden amid his battle with cancer. Dachroeden died in November 2022.

A rep for Shinedown has not responded to ABC Audio’s request for comment. A rep for Cantrell offered no comment.