Pop star Ariana Grande has taken legal action against a pair of hackers she says have spent years stealing private files from her. The singer filed a lawsuit accusing the two of a sustained campaign to obtain her material, escalating a long-running problem with leaks into a formal court fight.
According to the lawsuit, the hackers used several methods, including phishing scams, to gain access to the accounts of photographers and producers who worked with Grande. Rather than targeting the singer directly, the suit describes an effort to reach her material through the professionals in her orbit who handle her music and images.
The singer says that over the years, the hackers gained access to a trove of sensitive material, including unreleased masters, demos, music videos and outtakes from her photo shoots. The breadth of what was allegedly taken points to deep access to the private creative work that artists typically guard closely before release.
The suit further alleges that the hackers then tried to sell the materials online, turning the stolen files into a potential source of profit. That accusation moves the case beyond simple intrusion, framing the alleged conduct as an attempt to commercialize work that did not belong to them.
Legal observers noted that the case could carry consequences beyond the civil courtroom. It is a crime to hack into someone's account and to steal their intellectual property, one noted, and while the matter has been filed as a civil lawsuit, it could have more serious ramifications and lead to potential criminal charges once the individuals are identified.
The complaint puts a striking number on the scale of the alleged theft. According to the filing, in 2023 alone, 45 unreleased songs belonging to Grande were stolen and then leaked online. For an artist, the early release of unfinished work can undercut carefully planned rollouts, and the lawsuit seeks to hold those responsible to account for the years of intrusions.