Story perspectives

Ariana Grande Wins Expedited Subpoenas to Identify Hackers

8/21/2026

Summary

Grande Secures Subpoenas

U.S. singer Ariana Grande won court approval for expedited subpoenas to identify hackers.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mark H. Epstein waived the 16-day notice because defendants are unknown.
Grande filed an invasion-of-privacy lawsuit on July 27, 2026, alleging phishing-based hacks that leaked 45 unreleased songs.
Expedited discovery will let Grande’s team subpoena platform data before it disappears.

Summary

Grande Hunts Leakers

The lawsuit exposes an underground market for unreleased pop recordings that has existed since 2011.
Leaks have involved songs, photos, video footage, and behind-the-scenes content.
Subpoenas now target PayPal and Cash App, extending the data search beyond social-media platforms.
The viral leak of “Fantasize” led Ariana Grande to condemn the “crooks” responsible.
Grande’s team warns that without subscriber data, evidence could disappear, hindering perpetrator identification.

History

Historical Context

In December 1999 the RIAA sued Napster, and a March 5 2001 injunction forced the service—then serving 26.4 million users—to close in July 2001 after Metallica’s April 2000 lawsuit and a $26 million settlement. Ariana Grande’s 2026 privacy suit, using subpoenas to PayPal and Cash App, follows this precedent, targeting a leak market uncovered in 2011 and seeking to preserve digital evidence of unreleased recordings.

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Grande Secures Subpoenas

U.S. singer Ariana Grande won court approval for expedited subpoenas to identify hackers.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mark H. Epstein waived the 16-day notice because defendants are unknown.
Grande filed an invasion-of-privacy lawsuit on July 27, 2026, alleging phishing-based hacks that leaked 45 unreleased songs.
Expedited discovery will let Grande’s team subpoena platform data before it disappears.

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