Ariana Grande Sues 'John Does' Over Massive Leak

Ariana Grande is turning to the courts after years of leaked music she says she never intended fans to hear. In a lawsuit filed on Monday and seen by People, the singer accuses two "John Does" of breaking into the digital accounts of photographers and producers she works with, then stealing and selling her unreleased material on the dark web for "significant sums of money." Variety notes that in one hack in 2019, the hackers somehow got the login info for a Dropbox account of one photographer who'd collaborated with Grande, per the complaint; in another case, a producer's mobile device was infiltrated.

The complaint alleges that in 2023 alone, 45 unreleased tracks were taken and leaked, along with private photos and studio audio and video, per People. Grande's team says the case is meant both to unmask the alleged hackers and to warn off others who target artists' private work. A source said to be close to Grande calls the suit a broader stand for musicians' control over when and how their art is released. "Neither Ms Grande nor any other public or private figure should have to suffer such violations caused by these wrongdoers who hide in the shadows and wreak technological havoc with impunity," the suit notes, per the Guardian.