Ariana Grande has filed a lawsuit against alleged hackers, accusing them of a "malicious invasion" of her privacy and claiming their actions caused "irreparable harm" to her career.
According to a complaint obtained by PEOPLE that was filed by the pop star’s legal team on Monday, July 27, the 7 Rings singer is suing the John Does after they allegedly hacked “various personal digital accounts of photographers and producers who have worked closely” with her, which she claimed has resulted in “unlawful and egregious theft, dissemination, and exploitation of unreleased content.”
Grande also disclosed that John Does profited from the hacked files after they sold “personal data and content on the dark web for significant sums of money.”
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The lawsuit claimed the hacked material included unreleased music, photographs, and audio and video recordings captured during Grande's creative process that were never intended for public consumption.
“In 2023 alone, 45 unreleased songs belonging to Ms. Grande were hacked, stolen, and leaked by Defendants,” alleged the complaint.
It added, “Since her music debut in 2011, hundreds of similar leaks have taken place.”
“The lawsuit is intended to serve as a deterrent against future acts of this nature — not only targeting Ariana, but also the many artists who have faced similar invasions of their privacy and theft of their creative work,” a source close to Grande said.
They added, “Artists deserve the right to control how and when their art is shared with the world. The unlawful theft and distribution of creative work undermines that right and should not be tolerated.”
While promoting Eternal Sunshine on The Zach Sang Show two years ago, Grande suggested she intended to take action against those responsible for leaking her music.
She also praised producer Max Martin, calling him "such an incredible friend these past few years," while discussing the unreleased track Fantasize, which leaked in 2023 and went viral.
