Alanis Morissette has taken legal action against her former tour manager, accusing her of engaging in a deliberate extortion scheme to falsely implicate Morissette in drug trafficking unless the singer agreed to sign a lengthy contract with her.
The lawsuit, filed in California and reported by CBC News, alleges that Keren Urinov threatened to report Morissette to British authorities for drug trafficking unless Morissette hired her as a tour director for 15 years and paid her substantial compensation.
Morissette is suing Urinov for civil extortion, fraud, and negligent misrepresentation, stating in the lawsuit that she refuses to be coerced into providing a significant payout to her blackmailer. Morissette asserts that she has taken legal action to expose Urinov’s scheme and hold her accountable.
The lawsuit outlines the events that transpired, indicating that Urinov, who previously worked for Live Nation’s Israeli operations, was hired as a temporary tour manager for Morissette’s world tour in 2025. During a trip from the U.K. to Spain for a concert, Urinov was allegedly involved in an incident at the airport where a bag she claimed ownership of was flagged by British Border Force officials for containing marijuana and xylazine, a non-opioid animal tranquilizer.
Subsequently, Urinov was arrested but later released after showing her Israeli medical marijuana license to authorities. The lawsuit also mentions another incident the following day where Urinov was detained for further questioning about the bag.
The lawsuit further reveals that Urinov allegedly sent multiple threatening letters to Morissette after the tour, demanding a fixed 15-year contract with substantial compensation and work visa assistance for the United States. Morissette claims that Urinov’s actions left her with no choice but to pursue legal action against her former tour manager.
The court filing also details instances where Morissette believed Urinov mismanaged the tour, including an expensive error with a hotel booking and undisclosed past criminal activities that Urinov failed to mention when being hired.
Morissette, who expresses reluctance about taking legal action, emphasizes that she will not succumb to the demands of an incompetent blackmailer and seeks a trial by jury in this matter. CBC News has contacted Urinov and Morissette’s representatives for comments but has not received responses at this time.
