British singer Boy George has been denied a visa to enter the US.
The former Culture Club frontman had planned a US tour for this summer, including a free concert at the New York City Department of Sanitation’s Family Day in August.
He worked for the department in 2006 while performing court-ordered community service in a drug case.
Michael A Bimonte, a first deputy commissioner with the department, had said: “Keeping New York City safe and clean is a daunting challenge — as Boy George well knows — and we welcome his generous offer to entertain those who have made our city the cleanest it has been in more than 30 years.”
His managers said in a statement on Monday night that the visa denial was not because of his past brush with the law in the US but was because he is awaiting trial in London.
The singer of such hits as Do You Really Want to Hurt Me and Karma Chameleon has pleaded not guilty to imprisoning a man at his London home.
The US Department of State says visa records are confidential so it cannot comment.
