Lou Pearlman death: Backstreet Boys and NSYNC creator dies in prison

The music mogul was serving a 25 year sentence for fraud

Lou Pearlman, the creator of Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, has died in prison aged 62.

According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons' database, the record producer and manager died on Friday. The cause of death is not immediately known.

Pearlman was convicted of fraud for running a £230m Ponzi scheme through his Trans Continental companies. He ran away to Indonesia but was captured by the authorities in 2007 and sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2008.

The pop music mogul was sued by every act he represented but one.

Pearlman was hugely successful during the late Nineties and early Noughties, founding the best-selling boy band of all time, the Backstreet Boys, in Florida in 1993. Pearlman also signed NSYNC, O-Town, LFO and Innosence, which briefly featured Britney Spears, to his Trans Continental Records label.

Musicians and followers have paid tribute to Pearlman on social media.

“Word is that #LouPearlman has passed away. He might not have been a stand-up businessman, but I wouldn’t be doing what I love today wout his influence. RIP Lou," NSync singer Lance Bass wrote on Twitter.

“LouPearlman my old manager died in prison ... Rip Lou not the best business guy really at all but he did discover me karma is real,” said Aaron Carter.

“Mixed emotions right now, but RIP Lou Pearlman,” said Chris Kirkpatrick.

“Lou Pearlman died. Not a good man at all but the story of his Ponzi scheme is a great read,” wrote journalist Christina Warren.