Britney Spears is being investigated for an alleged misdemeanor battery incident involving a longtime housekeeper, but according to her team, the report is completely fabricated.
The Ventura Country Sheriff’s office confirmed Thursday that the singer is under investigation for a “very minor misdemeanor” after allegedly striking the employee. But attorney Mathew S. Rosengart says the claims are not to be trusted.
“This is overblown sensational tabloid fodder,” Rosengart said in a statement obtained by The Wrap. “Nothing more than a manufactured ‘he said she said’ regarding a cell phone, with no striking and obviously no injury whatsoever. Anyone can make an accusation, but this should have been closed immediately. To its credit, the sheriff’s office itself has acknowledged that the incident was classified as a ‘very minor misdemeanor’ and confirmed ‘there were no injuries.’”
Rosengart then added that if the case did not involve Spears it would not have been reported at all.
Sources from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department told TMZ that the alleged incident occurred Monday after Spears’s housekeeper had taken one of her dogs to the vet. When she returned, they got into an argument regarding the dog’s wellness, leading Spears to allegedly slap the housekeeper’s phone out of her hands.
An official from the Sheriff’s Dept. also told the outlet that they are still investigating the situation and will submit the file to the District Attorney’s Office, which will then decide whether to file a misdemeanor battery charge against Spears.
The accusations arrive amid the pop star’s most significant gains in her ongoing conservatorship battle yet. Last week her father, Jamie Spears, announced that he would step down as her conservator after an “orderly transition.”
Prior to the announcement, Jamie had claimed on several occasions that his daughter’s mental health issues and erratic behavior were what necessitated his interference in her life in the first place, rendering the timing of the misdemeanor report all the more dubious.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.