Alanis Morissette has filed a lawsuit accusing her former tour manager, Keren Urinov, of orchestrating a "calculated blackmail campaign." The complaint, filed Tuesday, alleges that Urinov threatened to report the Grammy winner for drug trafficking in an attempt to extort her into a 15-year employment contract with substantial compensation.
Morissette stated in court documents that she "will not be coerced into delivering her blackmailer an extraordinary payday" and is seeking damages for civil extortion, fraud, and negligent misrepresentation. She is requesting a jury trial and compensatory damages exceeding $75,000.
Urinov was hired to work temporarily on Morissette's world tour in 2025. The lawsuit details an incident in June 2025 when Urinov's bag was allegedly found to contain marijuana and xylazine, an animal tranquilizer, at an airport while traveling to Spain for a concert. Upon returning to the United Kingdom the following day, Urinov was questioned by British Border Force and reportedly stated the drugs belonged to her.
According to the lawsuit, Urinov and her attorney subsequently sent a series of letters threatening to file a lawsuit against Morissette in the United Kingdom if she did not falsely claim the drugs as her own to British law enforcement. Morissette claims Urinov demanded to be hired full-time for 15 years with a salary equivalent to that of a tour director, including annual increases and bonuses.
Morissette's filing states she refused the demands not only because of the blackmail attempt but also due to Urinov's alleged incompetence as a manager. The singer cited a hotel booking error made by Urinov that resulted in a loss of nearly $70,000.
Thirteen days prior to Morissette's lawsuit filing, Urinov initiated legal action against the singer in London's King Bench Division. The specifics of Urinov's claims are not yet clear, but the division handles cases involving defamation, misuse of private information, data protection, and harassment by publication.