Britney Spears 'spied on by father using Israeli spyware', ex-employee says

Britney Spears’ father hired an Israeli private security agency to conduct an intense surveillance operation on his daughter which secretly recorded the pop star and monitored her communications, according to a new report.

Former Black Box employee Alex Vaslov leaked the information to The New York Times, which showed emails, text messages, and audio recordings of Spears in her bedroom speaking with her boyfriend and children. 

The cybersecurity manager said that the invasive surveillance operation that Spears unknowingly underwent enabled people tied to the conservatorship - mainly her father, James Spears - to have complete control over her life. 

During his nine years working for Black Box, Vlasov was told that the surveillance measures were necessary and put in place to protect Spears. 

He was also informed that the singer was actively involved in the conservatorship and that she allegedly wanted to be part of it. 

“It really reminded me of somebody that was in prison,” Vlasov told The New York Times, adding that "security was put in a position to be the prison guards essentially”.

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The chief executive and founder of Black Box, Edan Yemini, did not respond to any questioning from the NYT, but his lawyer said in a statement:

“Mr. Yemini and Black Box have always conducted themselves within professional, ethical and legal bounds, and they are particularly proud of their work in keeping Ms. Spears safe for many years.”

Under the conservatorship, Spears' father is the pop singer's court-appointed decision-maker, granting him control of her finances and personal decisions. The arrangement has seen the singer prevented from her from getting her nails done, changing the colour of her kitchen, and has even resulted in her having an IUD preventing her from having a baby.

For years, impassioned fans have called for her freedom in a movement dubbed #FreeBritney where the hashtag gained massive traction last year.