Lord of the Dance show creator Michael Flatley faked the lifestyle of a millionaire in Monaco using other people's money because he did not have the financial means to do so, a court in Belfast has been told.
The claim was made during a court case involving the dancer and a company trying to block his involvement in upcoming productions of the show.
A worldwide 30th anniversary tour of The Lord of The Dance is due to get under way in Dublin next week.
More than 260 other shows are scheduled to take place throughout Europe and North America this year.
Michael Flatley was in court in Belfast defending an attempt by an entertainment company called Switzer Consulting to prevent him from having any future control of the shows.
The proceedings centre on a service agreement reached in July 2024 for Switzer Consulting to run the stage show.
Earlier this month the company obtained an interim injunction blocking Mr Flatley from having any role.
The company is seeking a full injunction and suing the retired performer for alleged breach of copyright, which he denies.
A lawyer for the company told the court that the July 2024 agreement was to be the rebirth of The Lord of The Dance.
Gary McHugh KC told the court that the agreement gave Switzer the worldwide rights to the show, including ownership of the copyright and the rights to perform it in public.
The lawyer said the company was seeking to prevent interference by Mr Flatley because he had an industry wide reputation for not paying bills and for running shows at a loss, claiming that made many promoters reluctant to deal with him.
He quoted an email from a former business advisor to the dancer who said that since 2019 Mr Flatley has lived the lifestyle of a Monaco millionaire without the funds to do so.
It said the choreographer had maintained "a facade of wealth using other people's monies" and alleged he had been "faking it on a multi-million euro scale".
The email claimed Mr Flatley was all about image and borrowed money "to maintain a pretence of wealth".
It cited two examples, saying the dancer had borrowed €75,000 for his birthday party and €50,000 to join a Monaco yacht club.
A lawyer for Mr Flatley described those claims as scurrilous and salacious, and insisted that Switzer had no claim to control of The Lord Of The Dance.
He quoted from an email sent to Michael Flatley by the same former business advisor in Sepyember 2024, two months after the agreement with Switzer.
David Dunlop KC told the court the email said Mr Flatley owed 100% of all the rights and could proceed to operate and ultimately sell the business, "thereby receiving the monies you deserve for the thirty years that you have put into this".
It added: "You do so in the secure knowledge that it is you and your family that will be the sole beneficiaries."
The lawyer said Switzer Consulting had carried out an attack on Mr Flatley's character and ability to run a business which had nothing to do with the issues about the agreement.
The judge will give his decision tomorrow.
