THE former self-styled manager of Britney Spears has sued the pop star and her parents, accusing them of slander and failing to pay his fees.
Sam Lutfi, Spears’ constant companion in late 2007 at the height of her personal and professional meltdown, filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court after a renewed flurry of legal moves against him.
His lawsuit names Britney Spears, her father and mother Jamie and Lynne Spears, and alleges libel, defamation, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and breach of contract.
Lufti claimed Jamie Spears punched him in the chest in January 2008 and says Lynne Spears damaged his reputation in her 2008 memoir Through The Storm, in which she claimed Lutfi had over-medicated her daughter.
He is seeking unspecified damages.
The lawsuit was filed four days after Jamie Spears obtained a restraining order against Lutfi and Spears’ former boyfriend, photographer Adnan Ghalib, ordering them to stay away from the singer and her family.Britney Spears’ spokeswoman was not available to comment.
The legal sparring followed months of relative peace on the Spears front after a year of bizarre behaviour including Britney shaving her head and bouncing in and out of rehab.
Spears, 27, has since staged a comeback with a new album in December and a US and British tour due to start in March.
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Jamie Spears was granted temporary control of his daughter’s personal affairs in February 2008. He obtained a restraining order against Lutfi but later dropped it when Lutfi agreed to voluntarily keep his distance.
Last week lawyers argued that Lutfi and Ghalib had tried to disrupt the agreement and a new order was granted.
“Since the publication of the book, Lutfi has been subjected to unfathomable amounts of ridicule and scorn,” and has received “numerous death threats from overzealous fans,” the lawsuit reads, adding that Lutfi can “no longer find work as a counsellor of at-risk teens.”
Lutfi claims he and Britney had an oral agreement that he would be compensated 15% t of her earnings as her manager. Lutfi alleges that the agreement was confirmed in a text message on October 13, 2007 in which the singer wrote: “sam, so thats fine, i want you to be my manager, you were right its 15 percent of my money but for 4 years not 5.” Lutfi claims that he hasn’t received any payment for his alleged services.
Lutfi’s attorney, Bryan J Freedman said in a statement on Tuesday that there is “overwhelming evidence from independent witnesses” proving his client’s case and that “at the time of the trial in this action, the jury will have an opportunity to weigh the credibility of the witnesses.” – Reuters/People.com.
