Britney Spears’ father Jamie denies claims that he bugged her bedroom when he headed conservatorship
Britney Spears‘ father Jamie Spears said he never planted a listening device in the singer’s bedroom.
Jamie, 69, issued a sworn declaration Wednesday to the Los Angeles Superior Court, Page Six reported, in regards to allegations made in a documentary aired on FX and Hulu last fall by a former security guard for the singer.
The guard, speaking in The New York Times Presents: Controlling Britney Spears, claimed Jamie had covertly recorded in excess of 180 hours of audio from the singer’s bedroom; and monitored Britney’s phone, including texts, calls and online history.
The latest: Britney Spears’ father Jamie Spears, 69, said in a sworn declaration Wednesday to the Los Angeles Superior Court that he never planted a listening device in the 40-year-old singer’s bedroom during the time he presided over her conservatorship
Jamie told the court, ‘I am informed of the allegation … that a listening device or “bug” was placed [in] her bedroom as surveillance during the conservatorship. This allegation is false.’
‘I never conducted or authorized any surveillance of Britney’s bedroom at any time, including during the conservatorship. I am not aware of any such surveillance having occurred.’
Jamie said that he ‘could and would testify’ to such ‘under penalty of perjury’ if he was called as a witness by the court.
Jamie did not address accusations he had monitored Britney’s phone.
Jamie, pictured in 2012, told the court he ‘never conducted or authorized any surveillance of Britney’s bedroom at any time, including during the conservatorship’
The 13-year long conservatorship over the pop star was ended last November
The New York Times reported that Jaime used ‘an intense surveillance apparatus’ in monitoring the pop star, and was shown emails, texts and clips from security official Alex Vlasov. Jamie had previously employed Vlasov’s firm Black Box Security as protection for his daughter amid the time of her conservatorship.
An attorney who once worked for Jaime, Vivian Lee Thoreen, issued a statement when the documentary was released that Jaime’s ‘actions were done with the knowledge and consent of Britney, her court-appointed attorney [Samuel D. Ingham III] and/or the court.’
Britney’s lawyer Mathew Rosengart earlier this year worked with Sherine Ebadi, an ex-FBI special agent, to probe the claims made by the documentary. In a declaration reviewed by Page Six, Ebadi said she’d ‘personally debriefed and interviewed’ Vlasov and found him to be ‘highly credible’ in his statements.
Ebadi said she came to the conclusion Jamie ‘engaged in and directed others to engage in unconscionable violations of [Britney’s] privacy and civil liberties.’
![Britney's lawyer Mathew Rosengart, pictured last year, worked with an ex FBI official who said Jamie 'engaged in and directed others to engage in unconscionable violations of [Britney’s] privacy and civil liberties'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/07/01/04/59739593-10971961-image-a-59_1656647807750.jpg)
Britney’s lawyer Mathew Rosengart, pictured last year, worked with an ex FBI official who said Jamie ‘engaged in and directed others to engage in unconscionable violations of [Britney’s] privacy and civil liberties’
Jamie’s declaration to the court comes amid months of allegations between his lawyers and Britney’s that they were avoiding being deposed over the conservatorship, which was terminated in November of 2021 after more than 13 years.
Jamie’s attorney Alex Weingarten said in court docs he wanted to ask Britney about ‘unsupported claims’ the singer made about Jamie on social media.
Rosengart last fall requested Jamie take part in a deposition, and in May, filed a legal motion asking the court to compel Jamie to be deposed, noting that Jamie was initially asked to be deposed October 20, 2021 and ‘still has not appeared for his deposition’ after being offered eight open dates, People reported earlier this month, citing court docs.
Rosengart said that Jamie’s testimony is essential toward ‘pending matters,’ and that he is avoiding being deposed because it would exposed alleged rule violations in his overseeing of the conservatorship.
Inside Britney Spears’ toxic family after conservatorship battle left her estranged from father, mother and sister
Britney Spears’ ‘cult-like’ conservatorship was terminated by a judge last November after 13 years of having her $60million fortune and personal affairs controlled by her 69-year-old father Jamie Spears.
And in the months leading up to the arrangement’s end, Britney exposed the true state of her relationship with Jamie, as well as her mother Lynne and sister Jamie Lynn.
She’s put her family on blast for allegedly taking advantage of her during the ‘demoralizing and degrading’ conservatorship, even going as far as to say they belong in jail for ‘what they did to me.’
And now, with Britney living life estranged from her father, sister and mother, DailyMail.com is looking back on how the conservatorship tore the Spears family apart.
Fractured: DailyMail.com is looking back on how Britney’s controversial conservatorship tore the Spears family apart; Britney pictured with mother Lynne and father Jamie
Jamie Spears
Jamie was granted a ‘temporary conservatorship’ over his daughter in 2008 after the singer landed herself in the headlines for erratic behavior – including THAT infamous head shaving incident – and, eventually, suffering a nervous breakdown.
Despite its initial temporary nature, the conservatorship was extended indefinitely, leaving Britney under the control of her father for the next 13 years.
Though Britney has previously hinted at the fact that the conservatorship felt ‘just like Groundhog Day every day’ to her, the Lucky singer rarely spoke about the arrangement or the extent of her father’s involvement in her financial, personal and career decisions.
Jamie would abruptly step down as conservator in 2019, citing personal health reasons.’ Jodi Montgomery, an experienced conservator, would temporarily take over his duties.
Power move? Jamie was granted a ‘temporary conservatorship’ over his daughter in 2008 after the singer landed herself in the headlines for erratic behavior – including THAT infamous head shaving incident – and, eventually, suffering a nervous breakdown. Despite its initial temporary nature, the conservatorship was extended indefinitely, leaving Britney under the control of her father for the next 13 years
Obvious tensions between Jamie and Britney became public when the performer objected to him remaining her conservator the following year, even threatening to cease performing if he remained in power.
Her attorney told NBC that Britney was ‘afraid of her father’ – a sentiment that would be echoed in the heartbreaking court testimony she delivered in July 2021.
Tensions flare: Obvious tensions between Jamie and Britney became public when the performer objected to him remaining her conservator the following year, even threatening to cease performing if he remained in power. Her attorney told NBC that Britney was ‘afraid of her father’ – a sentiment that would be echoed in the heartbreaking court testimony she delivered in July 2021; Jamie pictured in 2021
Though her bid to give Jamie the boot was denied, Britney’s fight to end her conservatorship as a while would gain intense momentum in 2021 following the release of The New York Times’ documentary Framing Britney Spears, which took a deep dive into the controversial conservatorship.
Just one month later, Britney’s lawyer Samuel Ingham III filed to have Jamie removed and to have Jodi takeover. And in April, she’d request to address the court regarding the life she’d been forced to live for the past 13 years.
In the 24-minute testimony, Britney slammed Jamie and claimed that the conservatorship was ‘allowing my dad to ruin my life.’
She accused her family of purposely instigating her ‘angry tantrums’ and ‘crazy’ behavior, which led to her undergoing a number of psych evaluations ‘against my will.’
She further alleged that Jamie and the rest of the family were staying at her home in Jackson Beach, Florida at the time and that her father ‘didn’t care to ask what was going on then.’
Britney also told the court that she was ‘always extremely scared’ of Jamie while growing up due to his struggles with alcohol.
By August 2021, after continued efforts in the courts by Britney’s new lawyer Mathew S. Rosengart, Jamie agreed to step down as conservator.
Bye! By August 2021, after continued efforts in the courts by Britney’s new lawyer Mathew S. Rosengart, Jamie agreed to step down as conservator. The following month, Jamie filed a petition to end the conservatorship as a whole, noting that he has ‘unconditionally loves and supports his daughter’ – it was officially terminated by a judge on November 12
After learning he would finally be abandoning the role, Britney blasted the conservatorship as ‘a family business’ and thanked Jamie for ‘exiting out of my life and finally allowing me to live mine !!!!
The following month, Jamie filed a petition to end the conservatorship as a whole, noting that he ‘unconditionally loves and supports his daughter’ – it was officially terminated by a judge on November 12.
In the months since the termination, Britney has continued to use Instagram to air out her grievances with her father, with her lawyer also recently accusing the Spears family patriarch of ‘bully[ing] and harass[ing]’ Britney after the fact.
Lynne Spears
Lynne Spears expressed publicly in a statement published in July 2021 that she fully supported her daughter’s big to remove Jamie as conservator.
It is clear to me that James P. Spears is incapable of putting my daughter’s interests ahead of his own on both a professional and a personal level,’ it read.
Yet Jamie hit back, accusing Lynne of being an absent mother and claiming she was paid $150,000 a year by Britney for her mansion in Louisiana.
Mastermind? Lynne Spears expressed publicly in a statement published in July 2021 that she fully supported her daughter’s big to remove Jamie as conservator. Britney would later accuse her mother of ‘secretly’ ruining her life and being the real mastermind behind her conservatorship in a now-deleted Instagram post published in November; Britney and Lynne pictured in 2001
‘In stark contrast, it appears that Lynne is the one who is incapable of putting her daughter’s interests ahead of her own,’ Jamie Spears’ statement said.
‘Lynne has not been involved in her daughter’s life for most of the past twelve years.’
Drama-filled childhood: More recently in a post published in April of this year, Britney alleged that her mother ‘thrived on drama’ and that she would argue with a ‘drunk’ Jamie ‘every night of my life’
Controversially, Lynne had published her own memoir Through The Storm: A Real Story Of Fame And Family In A Tabloid World in 2008, the year Jamie was made Britney’s conservator after the pop star’s months-long mental breakdown.
Britney would later accuse her mother of ‘secretly’ ruining her life and being the real mastermind behind her conservatorship in a now-deleted Instagram post published in November.
‘My dad may have started the conservatorship 13 years ago … but what people don’t know is that my mom is the one who gave him the idea,’ Britney captioned, adding that Jamie was ‘not smart enough’ to come up with the idea.
She continued: ‘She secretly ruined my life … and yes I will call her and [Britney’s former manager] Lou Taylor out on it … so take your whole ‘I have NO IDEA what’s going on’ attitude and go f*** yourself!!!!’
More recently in a post published in April of this year, Britney alleged that her mother ‘thrived on drama’ and that she would argue with a ‘drunk’ Jamie ‘every night of my life.’
Jamie Lynn Spears
Britney and her younger sister Jamie Lynn Spears have developed a highly contentious relationship over the years – which would go into overdrive as Britney’s bid to end her long-standing conservatorship revved up in the courts.
Jamie Lynn broke her silence on the matter in an emotional Instagram video published in June 2021, where she stated that she wanted nothing but ‘happiness’ for her sister and that she always has and ‘always will’ support her.
The Zoey 101 star insisted that she’d made a ‘very conscious choice’ to ‘only participate’ in the singer’s life as her sister – and that she was not on Britney’s payroll as fans had previously accused her of being.
Drifting apart: Britney and her younger sister Jamie Lynn Spears have developed a highly contentious relationship over the years – which would go into overdrive as Britney’s bid to end her long-standing conservatorship revved up in the courts; Britney and Jamie Lynn pictured in 2003
The video appeared to rile Britney up as she launched countless Instagram attacks directed at her sister Jamie Lynn, as well as her mother and father, one of which saw the star threaten to expose them if she ever landed a TV interview.
Jamie Lynn publicly begged for ‘peace’ amid her sister releasing the bombshell social media claims, which later resulted in Britney unfollowing her ‘mean a** sister’ on Instagram.
Controversial: In late 2021, Jamie Lynn announced she’d be releasing own memoir, titled Things I Should Have Said. Then while Jamie Lynn was doing publicity for the memoir she aired out a series of eye-catching allegations about Britney
In late 2021, Jamie Lynn announced she’d be releasing own memoir, titled Things I Should Have Said. She’d changed the titled from Must Confess, after receiving backlash from Britney fans over it being a partial lyric from Britney’s chart-topping track Baby One More Time.
Then while Jamie Lynn was doing publicity for the memoir she aired out a series of eye-catching allegations about Britney.
Jamie Lynn claimed her older sister once locked them both in a room with knife in hand, and described her behavior at one point as ‘erratic, paranoid and, spiraling.’
Britney categorically denied the knife story and retaliated by calling her sister a ‘scum person’ for telling ‘crazy lies’ about her.
As the bad blood between them rose to a boil, Britney also expressed regret that she had not ‘slapped you and Mamma right across your f***ing faces!!!!!’
During the week of the book’s release, Britney’s counsel sent Jamie Lynn a cease and desist over the ‘misleading or outrageous claims’ in the memoir.
Denied! Jamie Lynn claimed her older sister once locked them both in a room with knife in hand, and described her behavior at one point as ‘erratic, paranoid and, spiraling.’ Britney categorically denied the knife story and retaliated by calling her sister a ‘scum person’ for telling ‘crazy lies’ about her; Britney and Jamie Lynn pictured in 2017
Source: | Dailymail.co.uk