Britney Spears has been granted a temporary restraining order against a former member of her inner circle, Sam Lutfi.
The order was issued Wednesday by the Superior Court of California County of Los Angeles and orders Lutfi to stay at least 200 yards away from the singer and to not make “disparaging public statements” about Spears, her family, her conservator or her current manager.
The star’s parents, James and Lynne Spears and her sons, Sean and Jayden, are also listed as “additional protected persons” in the order.
Lutfi’s attorney, Marc S. Gans, said in a statement to CNN that he and his client were disappointed that the restraining order had been granted.
“We are disappointed in the result, and feel it is overly broad and violates Mr. Lutfi’s constitutional rights,” the statement said. “This order is only temporary, and we look forward to arguing the matter more fully in the upcoming hearing for a regular restraining order.”
In support of her request for the restraining order, attorneys for Spears filed an 81-page filing which accused Lutfi of a years-long campaign of attempting to “insinuate himself into Ms. Spears’ life with disastrous results for her.”
“Beginning over a decade ago, Lutfi began pretending to have a professional association with Ms. Spears, even falsely claiming to have been her manager, when in reality he was only a parasite attempting to gain attention by associating himself with her celebrity and attempting to keep her isolated and under his influence,” the filing said. “Only through the intervention of the conservatorship years ago (and obtaining a temporary restraining order) was he effectively extracted from her life and her well being restored.”
CNN has reached out to reps for Spears for further comment.
The order is the latest in a recent swirl of activity surrounding Spears’ life that has brought her back into the headlines.
In April she announced that she was taking some time to focus on self-care.
Britney Spears says she’s taking ‘me’ time
The move came not long after Spears announced she was stepping away from her career because her father, Jamie Spears, was having health issues.
Britney Spears announces ‘indefinite work hiatus’ due to her father’s health issues
The elder Spears also serves as his daughter’s conservator.
The recent filing alleges that “shortly after Ms. Spears checked herself into a mental health facility, Lutfi began a new campaign of harassment against Ms. Spears and her family.”
“In the last week alone, Mr. Lutfi has made dozens of disparaging and threatening comments on social media and in interviews,” the filing says. “He has sent threatening texts to Ms. Spears’ family, he has leaked confidential information, and is considering leaking more of Ms. Spears’ (actual and fabricated) private information.”
Britney Spears’ mom wants say in singer’s care
Lutfi is also accused of sending the pop star’s mother, Lynne Spears, “a long and unhinged text message that includes harmful, disparaging and ominous remarks in an effort to disrupt the conservatorship.”
Lynne Spears filled legal paperwork this week in an effort to have her attorney included in a forthcoming hearing about the singer’s care.
