Mariah Carey Joins Beyonce, Nelly Furtado in Donating Gadhafi Money
Carey says she'll donate song proceeds to human rights charities.
March 3, 2011 -- Singer Mariah Carey is joining the ranks of celebrities including Beyonce and Nelly Furtado who are making amends, financial and otherwise, for past performances for the family of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi.
Carey announced in a statement today she did not know she was performing for Gadhafi's son, Mutassim, at a New Year's Eve party in 2008 on the Caribbean island of St. Barts -- a performance that netted her a reported $1 million -- and said she would give the proceeds from an upcoming song to human rights charities.
"I was naive and unaware of who I was booked to perform for," Carey said in a statement posted on her website today. "I feel horrible and embarrassed to have participated in this mess. Going forward, this is a lesson for all artists to learn from. We need to be more aware and take more responsibility regardless of who books our shows. Ultimately we as artists are to be held accountable."
Nelly Furtado was the first major celebrity to announce on Tuesday that she was donating money she earned from a 2007 performance for Gadhafi's "clan." Beyonce, who performed for Mutassim Gadhafi on New Year's Eve 2009, followed suit and said she already donated the money to a Hatian relief fund after fans began demanding she too give it away. Until the statement today, representatives for Carey stayed silent despite repeated requests for comment.
In addition to Carey's statement, a post by ShowBiz411.com on Carey's website said all proceeds from a song called "Save the Day" from an upcoming album will be donated for human rights issues.
The presence of the celebrities at the parties for the Gadhafi family was unveiled not by gossip magazines, but by leaked U.S. State Department documents posted on the website WikiLeaks.
Video of the New Year's 2009 party, shot by a party-goer and obtained by ABC News, shows an intimate affair with Beyonce singing several songs just feet away from attendees.
Representatives for Usher, who performed at the same 2009 bash as Beyonce, have not responded to requests for comment.
CLICK HERE to go inside Mutassim's New Years Eve 2009 party.
Related Stories
ABC News Live