Chance the Rapper has secured another legal victory in his long-running dispute with former manager Patrick “Pat” Corcoran, after a Chicago judge ruled that Corcoran must forfeit merchandise-related commissions and management fees that could total up to $1.5 million.
The ruling, issued on October 13, 2026, resolves the remaining breach of fiduciary duty claim in the legal battle between the rapper, whose real name is Chancelor Bennett, and the manager who helped guide his career from 2012 until their professional relationship ended in 2020.
According to reports from the Chicago Sun-Times and Music Business Worldwide, the court found that Corcoran breached his duty to act in Bennett’s interests by receiving payments from vendors connected to the rapper’s merchandise business while also earning management compensation. The exact amount Corcoran must forfeit has not yet been finalised.
Judge Rules on Merchandise Payments and Management Fees
At the centre of the dispute were payments Corcoran allegedly received from merchandise vendors doing business with Chance the Rapper. Bennett’s legal team argued that these payments amounted to undisclosed kickbacks, creating a conflict of interest while Corcoran was being paid to manage the artist’s career.
Judge James E. Hanlon Jr. sided with Chance on the merchandise-related claims, ruling that Corcoran must surrender the vendor payments and forfeit the 15% management fee he earned on the relevant merchandise business.
The potential $1.5 million figure relates to the management fees and merchandise-related compensation covered by the ruling. The final amount remains to be determined, with a further hearing scheduled for November 30.
Corcoran and his company have also been ordered to transfer the ChanceRaps.com domain to the rapper by October 28.
How the Legal Battle Began
The dispute dates back to 2020, when Corcoran sued Bennett after being dismissed as his manager. Corcoran claimed he was owed millions of dollars in unpaid commissions and royalties, arguing that their arrangement entitled him to continuing compensation after their working relationship ended.
Bennett disputed those claims and filed a countersuit, accusing his former manager of breaching contractual and fiduciary duties, interfering with business opportunities and accepting improper payments from business partners.
The case went before a jury in March 2026. The jury rejected Corcoran’s claim for approximately $3.8 million in unpaid commissions and royalties and awarded Bennett $35 in nominal damages on his countersuit. The remaining fiduciary-duty issue was left for the judge to decide, leading to the latest ruling.
Not Every Claim Went Chance’s Way
Although the latest decision marks a significant win for Bennett, the judge did not grant all the relief he requested.
The court declined to award him damages over several outside business ventures, including the Ramova Theatre, the media project We Are the Times, the film Hope and opportunities connected to music distributor UnitedMasters.
The judge distinguished those ventures from the merchandise business, finding that Corcoran’s responsibilities did not give Bennett a right of first refusal over every outside investment or opportunity that came his way.
Corcoran’s legal team also pushed back on the scope of the ruling, arguing that the decision did not establish a basis for the broader damages Bennett had sought.
Chance the Rapper Reacts to the Ruling
Following the decision, Chance expressed relief that the case was nearing its conclusion.
“I’m grateful to finally close this chapter of my life and can’t wait to eventually tell my side of the story,” Bennett said in a statement. He also thanked the courts and expressed gratitude to God.
The ruling represents another development in the fallout between two former business partners whose relationship once played a central role in Chance’s independent rise in hip-hop.
While the final financial figure remains outstanding, the decision establishes that Corcoran must forfeit compensation tied to the merchandise business covered by the court’s findings. The November hearing is expected to determine the amount owed and bring further clarity to the financial outcome of the dispute.
