Lou Taylor's Super Business Model & Baller
The Cases of Niki Taylor and Ron "Metta World Peace" Artest
This is Part 5 in the chronicle of Lou Taylor. Lou was Britney Spears’ business manager for the duration of the conservatorship. Here you can read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 & Part 7.
This story could only happen with generational wealth and legacy power, which Britney Spears and Lou Taylor do not have. Isn’t it wild that it Jamie Spears was in business with casino billionaires when the conservatorship started?
Oh, you didn’t know that?
This relationship is the most probable way that Lou Taylor connected to the Spears family.
“What we do [at Tri Star], a lot of people can do, but we have a ministry that runs throughout.”1 - Lou Taylor, February 2008
In Part 4 of the Lou Taylor series, I explained how Tri Star uses a hybrid business model to gain complete oversight of celebrities’ professional and personal lives. This article will explain how Tri Star perfected their business model by utilizing Niki Taylor and Ron Artest as case studies.2
Miss Lou’s Early Test Cases
Unlike Lou’s first big client, the boxer Michael Moorer, we have more contextual clues regarding how Lou handled her clients in the early 2000s. One early pattern in Lou has is to acquire a high profile client during a high profile scandal.
In 1990 Lou started her career in sports and entertainment industry in Florida. She started in an entry level position within a business owned by the ultra wealthy Davimos family.3 The Taylors relocated to Brentwood, TN in the early 2000s and that is when her career really picked up.
Lou has said they relocated because her husband had a calling to start a church in Tennessee. A more plausible explanation is that Nashville was allowed to have an NHL expansion team and Lou had experience working with hockey players. Furthermore, Nashville is a music city and this appears to match her career aspirations at that time.
Niki Taylor
Lou made her big foray into being a public figure after Niki Taylor was in a life-threatening car accident in 2001. Lou likely connected with Niki through her longtime boyfriend, Rob Niedermayer of the NHL’s Florida Panthers. Lou was Niedermayer’s business manager in the mid-90s, around the time he and Niki were together.4
It is unclear exactly when Lou Taylor started representing Niki, but one clue may lie in this quote made Niki made about becoming a born-again Christian:
“I was saved in ’98, but I’ve really been walking with God since 2000.”5
We can establish that Lou was working with Niki by 2000. At that time, Niki had moved in with parents and had been publicly struggling with addiction, keeping jobs, and maintaining a scandalous public image. Niki’s life in the late 90s was very different from how the public might remember it.
Niki and The Super Mobster
Niki dated Chris Paciello, a Miami club owner, mafia associate, and FBI informant. He ran a very high-profile nightclub called Liquid, that was a hotspot for celebrities.
Paciello was arrested in 1999 for participating in a robbery where a woman was murdered.6 The celebrities frequenting Liquid perhaps knew nothing about his mafia origins, and many people don't care where you get your money from as long as you share.
In January 2000, federal authorities requested Niki be interviewed regarding thousands of dollars in cash she had transported from Florida to New York for Paciello.7 This was not a trendy look for the supermodel’s public image.
This occurred over a year before Niki was in her high-profile car accident. In 2018, Vanity Fair Confidential aired an episode called “Disco Inferno” that referenced their relationship8
All of this drama suggests that Niki's “people” would be motivated to find her a handler. The history around Paciello is fascinating and would be a huge tangent from the purpose of this particular article. This man was tied in with the top mobsters in New York and hung around the likes of Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Sean Combs and Sofia Vergara.910
Niki has commented on her relationship with Chris, who once got in a physical fight with Niki’s estranged husband, Matt Martinez.
Niki Taylor later said that her ex-husband was "egging Christian on" and the club owner had to respond. "Christian and I were dating and Matthew and I were just going through the divorce and everybody found out that Christian and I were dating. Matthew was just trying to make my life miserable because he didn't want the divorce. Christian hit Matt first, and he also took care of the . . . other guys he was with. Christian just handled all of them by himself and pushed guys into walls and everybody had broken noses or whatever. Christian went back to his club with Sofia and everyone at Bar None was getting stitches."11
Paciello pled guilty to charges related to murder, racketeering, and robbery. He received a reduced sentence for cooperating with authorities and informing on numerous big-time mafia members. Strangely, after he served six years in prison, Paciello returned to Miami and was welcomed back into the social scene.
Even more strangely, he didn’t go into hiding after ratting out mafia bosses. This is baffling to those who know the lethal consequences of being a government informant. One must wonder if Paciello ratted out the real bosses or if this was merely a mafia coup…
Anyway, by 2007, he was hanging out with Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton.12
For mobsters, South Florida has always been the hottest place close to Havana.13
Niki and Lou Taylor (no relation)
Rumor had it in 2000 that Niki was leaving Tri Star, and this was reported only five months before her car accident.14 Two months prior to her accident, Niki had left an inpatient drug rehab program, and her life still seemed to be in turmoil.15
Las Olas supermodel Niki Taylor later this week is scheduled to be released from a one-month voluntary drug rehab program.
A friend of the 25-year-old leggy blonde told Insider that Taylor became addicted to Vicodin, a prescription pain-killer whose strength was likened to heroin.
[Niki] Taylor’s handlers at Tristar Management in Boca wouldn’t comment, but her publicist, Lou Taylor (no relation), recently told Star mag that Niki started taking the stuff years ago while being treated for anxiety attacks.
In the early morning of April 29, 2001, Niki was a passenger in a car that crashed into a telephone pole in Atlanta. Soon thereafter, Lou spoke to the media outside of the hopital.16 At that time, Niki was living with her parents in Pembroke Pines near Boca Raton, where Lou was residing.
Before Niki was even discharged from the hospital, and while she was still in critical condition, People Magazine managed to secure an exclusive cover story. The June 2001 article proclaimed Niki has become a born-again Christian and was “still beautiful,” thus assuaging the public’s concerns over any career-threatening facial lacerations.
“While Taylor’s loved ones visit, her favorite CDs play in the background: Sting, Faith Hill and for the recently born again patient, contemporary Christian music.” 17
The circumstances of the crash indicate that the driver may have been under the influence. Niki’s attorney, Stephen Screnci, opened a private investigation, but it appears there was no lawsuit filed against the driver of the vehicle.
Interestingly, a lawsuit was filed against Niki Taylor in June 2001, stemming from a 1998 incident where Niki rear-ended a couple’s truck on the interstate. At that time, Niki received a citation for ‘careless driving.’18 The resolution of that lawsuit is unclear, but the timing of its filing is noteworthy.
In these early 2000s-era articles, Lou Taylor is variably listed as Niki’s manage, publicist, and/or business partner. It appears Niki’s team spent years crafting the narrative of her car crash for public consumption.
Niki’s return to the public eye was gradual, and she made her first public appearance after the accident in October 2001.19 A few months later, Niki sued a photographer for manipulating her into showing her scars during a photoshoot, seeking to block the publication of the photos. 20
Miss America and a Maloof
Niki Taylor’s big comeback seemed to be in 2004 when she served as a judge for the 2005 Miss America pageant. Judging along with Niki was Phil Maloof, a former state senator for New Mexico, co-owner of the Sacramento Kings, and involved in many other businesses.2122 Phil is a member of the Maloof family dynasty, which would soon play a key role in the Spears family’s life.
I wonder if the pageant is the connective tissue between Lou Taylor and Jamie Spears?
A few months after the pageant, Niki was photographed at a charity event with Robin Greenhill.23
By 2007, Niki was suing E! Entertainment for a laundry list of claims. Niki had agreed to participate in a docuseries about her life, but it appears she was not made aware of the show’s theme, as it was ultimately titled Boulevard of Broken Dreams.
The cable network allegedly told Taylor and manager Lou Taylor, no relation, the show would feature current professional endeavors, including her signature fragrance, clothing line, upcoming cosmetics line and charitable foundation, the suit said.
Instead, the suit said, defendants E! Entertainment Television Inc., E! Networks Productions Inc. and a producer focused on Taylor's past hardships and characterized her as a celebrity "who risked everything ... and lost." - CBS News24
The episode was panned by The New York Times, which found Niki’s story rather dull.25 Although I am not able to locate a copy of the show, I imagine it does not contain a mafia subplot. It seems Niki and Lou were upset that their clothing boutique Abbie & Jessie (named after their dogs) wasn’t featured enough.26
Niki has gushed about the central role Lou Taylor plays in her life:27
In addition to her family, Niki’s support system includes her manager at Tri Star Sports & Entertainment Group, Lou Taylor, and assistant, Robin Greenhill, whom she considers close friends. They ride Harleys together and attend Calvary Chapel, where Rob Taylor, Lou’s husband, is pastor. “Before I met Lou, it was just me and my boyfriend or whoever I was with. Now I have great women in my life.”
Niki later found her stride in advocating for the Red Cross.28
When Niki reflects back on the 90s, she doesn’t shy away from discussing her substance misuse and her struggle to cope with the sudden death of her 17-year-old sister:
Substance misuse is a common way to cope with tragedy. However, when Niki reflects on the 90s, it sure doesn't sound like she was cavorting with a mobster.
FYI: Niki does not currently follow Lou Taylor on Instagram.
The Basketball Player Formerly Known as Ron Artest
Note: Ron Artest has changed his legal name a few times (Metta World Peace, Metta Sandiford-Artest). For this discussion, I’ll refer to him as Ron Artest, consistent with the time period in discussion.
Ron Artest was an exceptionally talented NBA player known for his personal struggles both on and off the court. During the 2003-2004 season, Artest played for the Indiana Pacers and won the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year.
However, the following season, Artest found himself embroiled in a PR disaster. On November 19, 2004, during a game between the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons, a fan threw a drink at Artest as he was lying on the scorer’s table. Artest responded by going into the stands to confront the fan, leading to a full-blown melee between the Pacers and the fans. This incident, dubbed the “Malice at the Palace,” became a historic scandal in the NBA.
The aftermath was like nothing we had ever seen, as it made national news for weeks. Artest was given the longest suspension in NBA history [86 games] at the time and still the longest on-court suspension ever. Artest would demand a trade from the Pacers the following season.29
Remember that Artest was immensely talented. He needed to stay in the game. Powerful people went into full crisis PR mode. He was facing two civil lawsuits and misdemeanor assault and battery charges. I have no idea why, but Stephen Screnci [Niki Taylor’s lawyer] was dispatched from Boca Raton to help Artest with his legal issues.30
By April 2005, Artest became a client of Lou Taylor. Shortly thereafter, a GQ reporter conducted an in-depth profile of Artest, which seemingly alluded to Lou’s takeover of his life.31
Ron spends several hours with his new management team at Tri Star—a group that takes what they call a "holistic" approach to managing celebrities. That's for sure. Louise "Lou" Taylor, the head of the company, a warm but fiercely efficient brunet and Ron's new guru, will in the course of the next few days: deal with his real estate investments, edit his new rap song, manage his child-support payments, arrange to have his children ferried to Toys 'R' Us, help him design T-shirts for his Web site, and—on hands and knees in Indianapolis—clean out his refrigerator with Clorox. Then she will order him to hire a housekeeper.
Artest did not play one game in 2005, as he was being courted by the Maloofs throughout the year, though it wasn’t official until January 2006. I have created a detailed and extensive timeline of these events here. Artest moved to the low-profile Kings team to stay in the game but out of the spotlight.
In June of 2005, Artest attended a Sacramento Monarchs game, another team owned by the Maloofs.32
The Maloofs explained their rationale for bringing the controversial Artest to Sacramento:33
"We're gamblers. So we're going to take a chance on him," said
Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof, who also owns a casino with his
brother, Joe. "We want to look forward, otherwise we wouldn't have
made this happen."The Kings are in last place in the Pacific Division.
The GQ profile mentioned that Lou was also helping Artest edit his music. Ultimately, Artest released an album in 2006. In the liner notes of his album, Artest appears to thank Lou’s pastor husband, Robert Taylor.
Was Rob Taylor Artest’s pastor? Lou and Rob seem to operate as a tag team for their clients. My standing theory is that Tri Star uses a holistic model, synthesizing the coordination of clients’ business and personal lives.
Coincidently, Artest released his debut album the same exact day as Kevin Federline’s Playing With Fire.34 Federline’s song “Crazy” features Britney Spears and includes the lyrics:
Don't care about you, bitch, 'cause I'm the truth
I ball like Kobe shooting hoops, up in the roof
Build a billion dollar corporation, call me Maloof
Like I said once before, bitch, I'm the truth - Kevin Federline
The Maloofs
The Maloofs are a very wealthy family that inherited a Coors Beer distribution empire from their late father, George Maloof Sr. The Maloof patriarch had five children, including George Maloof Jr. and Adrienne Maloof, who starred in “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.” In the 2000s, the Maloofs owned the NBA’s Sacramento Kings, the WNBA’s Monarchs, the Palms Casino in Las Vegas, and various other business ventures.
The Maloof family plays a significant role in this story. This 2007 quote from Ron Artest encapsulates the “we are family” holistic vibe:
Artest hopes playing for the Maloofs will help bring newfound stability to his career."I never knew my owners before like I know them," says Artest, who like point guard Mike Bibby and other Sacramento players routinely calls the Maloof brothers to chat. "Without them I wouldn't have this chance I have now. They've taken a lot of weight off my shoulders--not just basketball-wise but in every aspect of my daily life. I've got a little more room here to correct my mistakes, and breathe a little bit too."35
Speaking of 2007…
There have been countless think pieces discussing how the media treated Britney Spears’ appearance at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. However, these articles fail to mention that the show took place at the Maloofs’ Palms Casino. This seems like a glaring omission, especially considering that Jamie Spears and Larry Rudolph were involved in business with the Maloofs immediately before and after the conservatorship began. This connection adds another layer to the narrative surrounding Britney's life and career during that time.
A Note on the Screnci Family
Stephen Screnci is a lawyer from Boca Raton who worked with both Niki Taylor and Ron Artest. Screnci's connection to Lou Taylor is evident, as he appears on paperwork with her from the early 2000s and sometimes uses the same address associated with Lou: 3200 N. Military Rd. It’s unclear why they founded Willow Management in 2000, but it's likely they saw it as a promising venture.
Lou and Screnci’s professional relationship has endured over the years. As recently as 2021, they were both involved in paperwork for Jason Derulo's (Desrouleaux) Just For You Foundation. On the cusp of Britney Spears’ Vegas residency, Britney and Jason Derulo were VHI Save the Music Ambassadors.36
Never forget that these industry figures will always cross-promote their "products." Additionally, they like to keep things within their circle. Stephen’s daughter Lia was recently an intern at Tri Star.3738
Dynastic Power…
Telling Lou Taylor’s origin story is complex. The relationships are intricate, but the business model is straightforward: ingratiate yourself with families that have dynastic power, as well as those with a supremely talented family member.
Always cross-promote your clients!39
Lou: The Championship Ringer!
Ron Artest played a few seasons with the Sacramento Kings, then briefly with the Houston Rockets before joining the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite these transitions, Artest and the Maloofs remained close. Artest even made a brief appearance in the inaugural episode of "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”40
Artest helped the Lakers win the NBA championship in 2010 and went viral for thanking his psychiatrist after the game.
Artest helped the Lakers win the NBA championship in 2010 and went viral for thanking his psychiatrist after the game. When NBA players win championships, they are allowed to give away championship rings to others. Lou Taylor ended up with an NBA Lakers championship ring from Artest.41 Artest auctioned off his own championship ring and raised $500,000 for various mental health agencies.42
Niki Taylor and Ron Artest were just test cases for Lou, as she would soon orchestrate the heist of a lifetime with Britney's conservatorship.
Continue to Part 6 of the Chronicle of Lou Taylor:
California Scheming: Lou Taylor & Jamie Spears Head West
This is Part 6 in the Chronicle of Lou Taylor. Lou was Britney Spears’ business manager throughout the conservatorship. Here you can read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 & Part 7.
Footnotes
Inside One of Brentwood’s Most Unique Businesses: Face to Face with the CEO. Brentwood Life. February 4, 2008.
Niki Taylor tweet. Twitter. March 11, 2014.
Boca Woman Helps Companies Blend Business, ‘Biblical Ethics’. Palm Beach Post. April 10, 1997.
A Look Back: Niki Taylor, Revisited. City & Shore Magazine. January 8, 2016.
Mob Over Miami. Michele McPhee. 2002.
Niki Just Trying To Be A (Super) Model Citizen. Sun Sentinel. January 26, 2000.
Disco Inferno. Vanity Fair Confidential. April 2, 2018.
Chris Paciello: Disco Inferno. Vanity Fair. July 2000.
Footnote 6, p. 142
Lindsay, Nude. New York Magazine. July 16, 2007.
In Miami, an Imported Mob Scene. New York Times, July 3, 2000.
It’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Promoter Vs. Rock ‘N’ Roll Builder. South Florida Sun Sentinel. December 15, 2000.
The Truth Hurts, But One Tiny Lie Hurts Ex-Cop Even More. South Florida Sun Sentinel. February 19, 2001.
Supermodel Niki Taylor Critical After Crash. Getty Images. May 1, 2001.
Niki’s Fight For Life. People. June 4, 2001.
Couple Files Lawsuit Against Supermodel In 1998 Car Wreck. Sun Sentinel. June 23, 2001.
Taylor Makes First Public Appearance. Sun Sentinel. September 27, 2021.
Model Sues To Keep Scar Photos Private. Sun Sentinel. January 18, 2002.
MISS AMERICA Beagle remains cool, confident moving through preliminaries. The Vindicator. September 17, 2004.
Miss America Pageant 2005. YouTube. September 2004.
The Amba Project Benefit For Tsunami Relief. Getty Images. February 4, 2005.
Niki Taylor Accuses E! of Slander. CBS News. January 29, 2007.
Hollywood Parables, Retold And Rehashed. New York Times. January 29, 2007.
What Ever Happened To Niki Taylor? Atalanta Journal-Constitution. March 12, 2007.
See footnote 5
Dr. Sanjay Gupta. CNN. March 24th, 2013.
The longest NBA suspensions for a player in league history, ranked. SB Nation. June 17, 2023.
Boca Raton lawyer jumps into defending NBA's Artest. South Florida Business Journal. February 7, 2005.
Free Ron Artest! GQ. April 9, 2005.
Sacramento Monarchs v Los Angeles Sparks. Getty Images. June 11, 2005.
Done deal: Pacers trade Artest to Kings for Peja. ESPN. January 25, 2006.
New Music Wednesday - Ron Artest, Flav, Federline. LAist. October 31, 2006.
What Happens in Vegas... Sports Illustrated. February 19, 2007.
Britney Spears, Jason Derulo are VH1's New Save the Music Ambassadors. ABC News Radio. November 8, 2013.
Lia Screnci Instagram. September 23, 2022.
Britney Spears tweet. Twitter. March 31, 2009.
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Wealthiness. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. October 14, 2010.
Hollywood Business Manager Lou Taylor Is “Ferociously” Breaking the Glass Ceiling. The Hollywood Reporter. October 10, 2019.
For Metta World Peace, a New Name and Outlook. New York Times. December 29, 2011.
JULIA ORMONDS LAWSUIT VS HARVEY MIRAMAX CAA. In particular partners Bryan ( who I am very fond of . What can I say ?) & Kevin huvane ( who I am not . But Kevin does all the dirty work Bryan won’t get his hands dirty doing . They’ve been partners so long - tho it would serve Bryan to sever ties . W Kevin) they’re the main partners at caa . JULIA ORMOND. The actual heroine of the TRUE. Harvey story . Eg times up was a scam and Reese vanity project to cover up caa and we all knew it . It’s publicly known now that it went out with a ( carefully constructed ) whimper . Later slayer
I’ve been forced to have sex with a Maloof. Paris ? Lindsay ? Anyone ? No ? Check out Julia or Monday lawsuit vs Bryan Lourde/ Kevin huvane 👀🧌caa . Harvey . FINALLY. Someome is telling the TRUTH . About Harvey . Sure wasn’t the New York Times . That was just enough to give him the death blow. I knew ormond right after “ legends of the fall “ none more beautiful or gifted or totally set up - to go LARGE. But it broke her . And she went into a death spiral . I am so glad @houseinhabit has also picked up on THAT. Lawsuit . It’s the first HONEST. Harvey lawsuit ever . And very much ties into all this . Shit.