B2K Member Accuses Manager of Sexual Abuse

Ricardo "Ricky Romance" Thornton and his younger brother, former B2K member Raz-B (whose real name is De'Mario Monte Thornton), have accused producer and manager Chris Stokes of molesting them, intimating that other members of the R&B group, which disbanded in 2004, were victims as well. On December 24, videos were posted on YouTube in which Ricky Romance claims that he, his brother and possibly other members of B2K (Omarion, Lil' Fizz and J-Boog) were forced into inappropriate sexual relations with their manager, Chris Stokes, record label representatives and one another.

The homemade videos detail several conversations between Romace and the sister, mother and father of former Immature singer and fellow Stokes client Marques Houston, discussing the alleged sexual abuse. The video including Romance saying, "Chris [Stokes] made me take showers with the other boys" and "[Stokes] molested my brother, and he molested me." Romance also implicates Houston in the incidents.

In a phone call heard on one video, a man the accusing pair claim is Stokes says, "I don't do that anymore ... That was me years ago ... I just don't do that in my life anymore." However, in an official statement, Stokes denied the accusations, adding, "I have recently stopped financially supporting both individuals along with assisting them with their criminal and legal matters, which leads me to believe they are resentful and looking to benefit financially from this."