Ariana Grande granted expedited subpoenas to reveal alleged hackers’ identities

A Los Angeles judge has granted pop star Ariana Grande permission to subpoena information that will help to reveal the identities of anonymous hackers she alleges infiltrated the devices of people close to her and stole unreleased music.

Judge Mark H. Epstein approved Grande’s proposed order for expedited discovery on Wednesday, after her legal team argued that it was necessary to identify those who hacked and stole the unreleased music, behind-the-scenes footage and music videos that were reportedly sold online.

“Given that there is no one to whom notice can be given anyway, it makes little sense to wait the 16 days,” Judge Epstein wrote in the legal filing, viewed by The Hollywood Reporter , Rolling Stone and Variety . “And on the merits of the motion, good cause is shown.”

Grande initially filed her lawsuit on July 27 , which reportedly targets a group of unnamed John Does for phishing scams and hacking schemes that caused “unlawful and egregious theft, dissemination and exploitation of unreleased content.”

Grande’s legal team reportedly outlined a pattern of illegal behaviour in which the unnamed hackers targeted the personal digital accounts of photographers and producers who work closely with her and sold the data for “significant sums of money,” according to Variety .

Grande is suing the unnamed hackers to “uncover the identities of these currently unknown and unscrupulous individuals in order to hold them accountable for their invasive and reprehensible conduct,” per Variety.

The lawsuit reportedly states that it is “imperative to Ms. Grande to ensure — on behalf of herself and others — that such conduct is deterred to the fullest extent possible.”

The 33-year-old singer’s legal team is asking a judge to order a return of her items as well as stopping further action in the future, ABC News reports .

The lawsuit also alleges invasion of privacy, violation of California’s Comprehensive Data Access and Fraud Act, and civil theft, according to the outlet.

“In 2023 alone, 45 unreleased songs belonging to Ms. Grande were hacked, stolen, and leaked by Defendants,” the complaint alleges, according to NBC News . “Since her music debut in 2011, hundreds of similar leaks have taken place.”

Grande is demanding a jury trial, according to the complaint, viewed by the outlets.

Global News has reached out to Grande’s rep for further comment, but has not received a response.

Grande previously spoke out about her unreleased music showing up online without her permission during a 2024 appearance on the Zach Sang Show .

She said her unreleased song Fantasize was leaked online and gained popularity on TikTok.