Lance Bass on feeling confusion, guilt after NSYNC creator Lou Pearlman's death

Lance Bass is opening up about Lou Pearlman's death and how it's impacted him.

Pearlman, who created the boy band Bass was in, NSYNC, died in prison in August 2016 at age 62 as he served a 25-year sentence for a $300 million Ponzi Scheme.

In a clip from a coming "20/20" special, the singer is revealing the confusion he felt after learning about the businessman's death.

"When I heard that Lou Pearlman had passed away, I was so confused on exactly how to feel. I was like, ‘How could you die right now when we don't have this closure? You need to apologize! Like, there are so many people who are waiting for you to realize what you did,'" Bass says in the clip. "And it pissed me off that he passed away."

He continued, "You feel happy that no one else is going to be affected by him, and then you feel guilty because you feel that way. You loved him, you hated him, there are so many things that come out with Lou Pearlman."

After everything ended, however, Bass said that at least he felt like "we can all start healing."

At the time of Pearlman's death, Bass shared his mixed emotions, tweeting, "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 without his influence. RIP Lou."

Pearlman, Art Garfunkel's cousin, founded Trans Continental Records in the 1990s, first signing the Backstreet Boys, who would turn into the best-selling boy band in history. He later signed NSYNC, as well as other boy bands including O-Town, Take 5, Natural and US5. Pearlman is credited with launching the 1990s frenzy over boy bands.

But for years, Pearlman used falsified documents and statements to convince investors to put money into Trans Continental Airlines Services Inc. and Trans Continental Airlines Inc., his companies which did not physically exist.

Regulators uncovered Pearlman's Ponzi scheme in 2006 and he was convicted of fraud in 2008.

"20/20" is set to air "The Hitman From Pop to Prison" Dec. 13 at 9 p.m. on ABC.

More: 5 shocking ways the Backstreet Boys, 'NSync got swindled by the man who created them

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lance Bass on Lou Pearlman's death, feeling 'confused,' 'pissed'