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 she 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 provided substantial compensation.
Morissette is suing Urinov for civil extortion, fraud, and negligent misrepresentation, stating that she will not succumb to blackmail and is seeking to expose Urinov’s scheme and hold her accountable.
The incident dates back to July 2025 when Urinov, who had previously worked for Live Nation’s Israeli operations, was serving as a temporary tour manager for Morissette’s world tour. During a trip from the U.K. to Spain, Urinov was arrested at the airport after a bag she claimed ownership of was flagged by British Border Force officials for containing marijuana and xylazine, an animal tranquilizer.
Despite admitting ownership of the drugs and showing her medical marijuana license, Urinov was released after questioning. Subsequently, Urinov allegedly attempted to coerce Morissette into signing a long-term contract by sending threatening letters demanding payment and work-related benefits.
The lawsuit also highlights instances where Morissette felt Urinov’s management of the tour was inadequate, including overspending due to a booking error and undisclosed criminal history involving drug smuggling in Latin America. Morissette asserts that she had no option but to take legal action against Urinov.
Morissette seeks a trial by jury in this matter. CBC News has made attempts to contact Urinov and Morissette’s representatives for comments but has not received responses at this time.