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Deryck Whibley Responds Firmly to Former Sum 41 Manager’s Denial of Abuse Claims: ‘I’m Not a Liar’.Linh

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Whibley recently published his memoir, ‘Walking Disaster,’ which alleges Sum 41’s former manager groomed him at 16

Deryck Whibley attends A Conversation With Deryck Whibley of Sum 41 at GRAMMY Museum L.A. Live on October 10, 2024 in Los Angeles, California
Deryck Whibley in Los Angeles on Oct. 10, 2024. Photo: Rebecca Sapp/Getty

Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley is standing by his claims that his band’s former manager, Greig Nori, “groomed” and “sexually abused” him as a teenager.

A week after Whibley came forward in his new memoir Walking Disaster: My Life Through Heaven and Hell alleging Nori abused him — which Nori has denied — the 44-year-old singer insisted he’s telling the truth.

“It’s been an extremely heavy week for me,” Whibley said in a video posted to X. “It’s come to my attention that Greig Nori has now called me a liar. I’ll tell you right now, I stand behind every word that’s in my book, 100%.”

Whibley then said, “I’m not a liar, and I’m going to speak to you directly, Greig Nori. If you think I’m a liar, there’s only one way to settle this: under oath. In front of a judge, in front of a jury, anytime you want. I’m ready whenever you are.”

In Whibley’s new memoir, the pop-punk singer claims Nori, the band’s first manager, abused him for several years. The pair met when Whibley was 16 and Nori was 34, per The Los Angeles Times. Nori would eventually become the band’s manager.

Whibley alleges that Nori “passionately” kissed him in a bathroom at a party and tried to pressure him into a sexual relationship, citing that most rock stars are “queer” and “most people are bisexual; they’re just too afraid to admit it.”

Deryck Whibley of Sum 41 performs during the "Does This Look All Killer No Filler" tour at Alexandra Palace on October 21, 2022 in London, England.
Deryck Whibley of Sum 41 performing in London in October 2022.Burak Cingi/Redferns

“He was so relentless and convincing that after a while, I started to believe that maybe he was right,” Whibley wrote. After a few months, Whibley attempted to end their physical relationship and Nori allegedly became angry and called the singer “homophobic.”

In a statement shared with Toronto Star, Nori shut down the accusations. “The accusation that I initiated the relationship is false,” Nori wrote in the statement. “I did not initiate it. Whibley initiated it, aggressively.”

Nori further went on to write, “When the relationship began Whibley was an adult, as was I.”

“The accusation that I pressured Whibley to continue the relationship is false. The accusation that I pressured Whibley to continue the relationship by accusing him of homophobia is false. Ultimately the relationship simply faded out. Consensually. Our business relationship continued.”

Nori did not directly address the grooming or abuse allegations Whibley made in his statement.

Whibley ended the video addressing Nori’s claims by thanking his friends, family, and fans who came forward to support him. “We’ll get through this like we get through everything else,” he said.