Ariana Grande Gets Court Approval to Unmask Alleged Hackers

Ariana Grande has won a key legal step in her effort to identify the people accused of hacking and leaking her unreleased music and behind-the-scenes footage.

A Los Angeles judge has allowed Grande’s legal team to quickly subpoena information that could reveal the identities of the anonymous hackers. The ruling came Tuesday after her lawyers argued that waiting could give the suspects more time to leak or sell additional material.

Judge Mark H. Epstein approved the request for expedited discovery, saying there was little reason to observe the usual 16-day waiting period because the defendants are currently unknown.

“Given that there is no one to whom notice can be given anyway, it makes little sense to wait the 16 days,” Epstein wrote. He also found that Grande’s attorneys had shown good cause for the request.

Grande’s lawyers said the alleged hacking and distribution of her private creative work is ongoing. They warned that more unreleased songs, recordings and video footage could be stolen or sold if investigators cannot quickly obtain account, subscriber and login information that may identify those responsible.

The singer filed the lawsuit on July 27 against a group of unidentified defendants, known in court filings as John Does. Her legal team alleges that the individuals used phishing attacks and other hacking methods to break into digital accounts belonging to photographers and producers who worked with Grande.

According to the lawsuit, the hackers allegedly stole private material and then sold or distributed it for significant amounts of money. Grande’s lawyers say the activity has been happening for roughly 15 years and has resulted in hundreds of leaks.

One of the most serious incidents allegedly occurred in 2023, when hackers gained access to 45 unreleased Grande songs and leaked them online.

The court’s latest decision does not identify the alleged hackers or establish their liability. Instead, it gives Grande’s attorneys a faster path to obtaining information from third parties that could help determine who was behind the alleged attacks.

For Grande, the ruling could be an important step toward putting names to the people accused of repeatedly targeting her unreleased work—and potentially stopping further leaks.