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Ariana Grande Wins Fast-Track Subpoena Power to Identify Alleged Hackers

A judge cleared urgent subpoenas to compel platforms to produce account and login records that Grande’s lawyers say could reveal the anonymous operators.

Overview

  • Grande first filed a civil invasion-of-privacy suit on July 27 against unnamed John Does who she says hacked collaborators and leaked unreleased material.
  • A Los Angeles judge granted expedited discovery on Wednesday, waiving the normal waiting period so Grande can serve subpoenas on internet platforms and third parties.
  • The complaint alleges a multi-year scheme that targeted photographers’ and producers’ accounts using phishing and stolen credentials to take masters, demos, photos and session footage.
  • Her filings say as many as 45 unreleased songs were stolen and leaked in 2023 and that the stolen material was sold on dark-web marketplaces for significant sums.
  • Grande’s lawyers have identified specific platforms they plan to subpoena, the case is in early discovery, and a court status hearing is set for January 25, 2027.