Britney Spears' father agreed last month to step down from her conservatorship. But the pop star is now accusing him of trying to extort money from her before he leaves.
Spears' attorneys said in a court filing that her father, Jamie Spears, is seeking about $2 million as a condition of stepping aside as conservator of her estate, which they described as a "quid pro quo," Page Six reports.
"Britney Spears will not be bullied or extorted by her father," Spears' attorney Mathew Rosengart said. "Nor does Mr. Spears have the right to try to hold his daughter hostage by setting the terms of his removal."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Latest Videos FromThe Week
Last month, Spears' father agreed he would step down as conservator, which the pop star's fans celebrated as a major win in her battle to be freed from the conservatorship she has been under since 2008. Jamie Spears didn't specify at the time, however, when he would step aside, saying he would do so "when the time is right" and that "the transition needs to be orderly and include a resolution of matters pending before the court."
Jamie Spears says he needs the money in order to pay lawyers and agents, Page Six reports. But according to BuzzFeed News, the pop star's lawyer wrote that Jamie's "blatant attempt to barter suspension and removal in exchange for approximately $2 million in payments, on top of the millions already reaped from Ms. Spears' estate by Mr. Spears and his associates, is a non-starter," while calling for Jamie Spears to "simply agree to resign immediately."
