Alanis Morissette Faces New Legal Fight With Former Tour Manager

Alanis Morissette is facing another bitter dispute involving someone who once worked closely with her.

The Canadian singer has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles against her former tour manager, Keren Urinov, accusing her of trying to blackmail her after drugs were allegedly found in Urinov’s luggage during a European tour.

Morissette’s lawyers claim Urinov initially told British authorities that the drugs belonged to her. But, according to the lawsuit, Urinov and her attorney later allegedly pressured Morissette to tell authorities that the drugs were hers.

The lawsuit says Morissette refused to give in to the alleged demands and is seeking more than $75,000 in damages.

“Morissette will not be coerced into delivering her blackmailer an extraordinary payday,” her lawyers said in court documents, arguing that the lawsuit was filed to expose what they describe as an extortion attempt.

Urinov strongly denies the accusations. Her attorney told The Post that she “totally rejects any allegation of blackmail” and wants to clear her name rather than receive a payoff. He said his client is willing to let the court determine what actually happened.

A painful history of financial betrayal

The latest dispute comes years after Morissette suffered another major betrayal by a trusted member of her team.

In 2017, her former business manager, Jonathan Todd Schwartz, admitted stealing millions of dollars from the singer and other clients.

Schwartz ultimately admitted that he embezzled about $7.2 million in total, including $4.8 million from Morissette between 2010 and 2014. He was sentenced to six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and tax fraud.

According to prosecutors, Schwartz falsified financial records to hide the theft. When Morissette confronted him about missing money, he claimed it had been invested in an illegal marijuana business. He later admitted that explanation was false.

Schwartz, who has spoken openly about his struggles with cocaine and gambling addiction, now says he has been sober for 10 years and deeply regrets what he did.

“I would love to be able to speak to her in person and really let her see from my soul and from my heart how sincerely I am apologizing to her,” he told The Post.

Morissette cut off contact with Schwartz after his crimes came to light.

Looking back, Schwartz said the experience should serve as a warning to celebrities and other wealthy clients. He believes people should put stronger safeguards around their money, including requiring two signatures for major financial transactions.

He also acknowledged that Morissette trusted him with significant financial authority.

“I think inherently within her soul, Alanis wants to trust people,” Schwartz said.

Morissette’s latest legal battle

The dispute with Urinov reportedly began after a bag belonging to the former tour manager was seized at a UK airport while the group was traveling to Spain.

According to Morissette’s lawsuit, the bag allegedly contained marijuana and xylazine, an animal tranquilizer sometimes known as “tranq.”

The singer claims the situation later escalated into a dispute over an alleged 15-year employment contract that would have provided Urinov with substantial compensation.

Urinov’s side disputes Morissette’s account and says she wants the opportunity to prove her case in court.

The allegations have not been proven, and the lawsuit is still pending.

From personal struggles to lasting success

Away from the courtroom, Morissette has spent much of her career speaking openly about difficult personal experiences.

She has discussed her struggles with postpartum depression after the births of her children and has also spoken publicly about recovering from an eating disorder she experienced as a teenager.

Despite those challenges, her career has remained remarkably influential.

Morissette became a global star with her 1995 album Jagged Little Pill. The record became one of the defining albums of the 1990s and produced major hits including “You Oughta Know,” “Hand in My Pocket” and “Ironic.”

The album later inspired the Broadway musical Jagged Little Pill, which opened in 2019 and earned Morissette two Tony Awards.

This year, she was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, another recognition of her lasting influence on popular music.

While the enormous success of Jagged Little Pill was difficult to repeat, Morissette continued releasing music and touring.

More recently, she appeared alongside artists including Olivia Rodrigo, Sarah McLachlan and Stevie Nicks at the all-women music festival Daisy Chain Fields.

Now, as she faces another legal fight involving someone from her professional circle, Morissette once again finds herself dealing with a painful question of trust — this time in a courtroom.