Here's the news from SF Gate.
A restraining order against the man who's been at Britney Spears' side during her downward spiral portrays him as a Svengali-like figure who held her a virtual hostage in her home, drugged her, took over her finances and controlled the ravenous paparazzi "like a general."
The order against Sam Lutfi was based on a lengthy declaration from Spears' mother, Lynne, who says Spears met the 33-year-old in October and he "essentially moved into Britney's home and has purported to take control of her life, home and finances."
Her account of a long chaotic night at Spears' home depicted a drugged and confused pop star being led around by Lutfi, who was setting up pictures for the paparazzi even as Spears was spinning out of control.
The documents released by the court Tuesday order Lutfi to stay away from Spears, her homes, her parents and siblings' homes, and the hospital where she is confined.
Lynne Spears said Lutfi "drugged Britney, he has cut Britney's home phone lines and removed her cell phone chargers. He yells at her. He claims to control everything - Britney's business manager, her attorneys and the security guards at the gate."
The day before the court documents were released, Lutfi told the Associated Press in a text message: "I have no problems with anyone writing anything negative against me. My image is not of concern, hers is." Lutfi, who is listed in legal documents as Osama Lutfi, did not immediately respond to further inquiry.
Much of the six-page declaration centers on the night of Jan. 28, just a few days before she was whisked by police and ambulance to a hospital psychiatric ward. She outlined increasingly bizarre behavior through the night.
Spears has been involved in a protracted court fight with ex-husband Kevin Federline over custody of their two small children, 1-year-old Jayden James and 2-year-old Sean Preston.
Spears, 26, lost custody of the boys to Federline after an incident last month when she refused to return the children after a visit. In recent weeks, she has arrived at the courthouse but refused to enter for custody hearings. Last week, a judge appointed her father as her conservator, and a lawyer who interviewed Spears at the hospital said she doesn't understand the importance of legal proceedings in the case.
Lynne Spears described a harrowing night that stretched into the wee hours when she, her husband and a friend went to Britney's home because they'd heard on the news she had a fight with Lutfi and was crying.
Once inside, Lynne Spears said she was told by Lutfi that her daughter didn't want anyone but her in the house and she was afraid to see her father. Lynne Spears also said there were several paparazzi inside the house.
Lynne Spears said during the evening, "Sam had told Britney she was an unfit mother, a piece of trash and a whore, that she cares more about Adnan, her current boyfriend, than she cares about her kids and that she does not deserve her kids." It was unclear how Lynne Spears knew details of the fight.
Lynne Spears said Britney was not home when she first arrived and she understood Lutfi had disabled all of her daughter's cars to keep her from leaving. She said he ordered one of the photographers to take her away when he found out her parents were on their way.
Eventually, she said, "Britney returned and became very agitated and could not stop moving. She cleaned the house. She changed her clothes many times. She also changed her three dogs' clothes many times. Britney spoke to me in a tone and a level of understanding of a very young girl. Britney then picked up a bottle of pills and read the label and asked us, 'What does insomnia mean?' "
Lynne Spears said at one point Lutfi told her, "You'd better learn that I control everything," and said he was the one giving Britney her medications. "He told me if he weren't in the house to give Britney her medicine, she would kill herself," she said.
She alleged that Lutfi threatened her. "Then he said to me, 'If you try to get rid of me, she'll be dead and I'll piss on her grave.' "
Lynne Spears said Lutfi told her he ground up medications and put them in Britney's food to keep her quiet. "He told us that the doctor who is treating her now is trying to get her into a sleep-induced coma so that they could then give her drugs to heal her brain."
The restraining order was not the first against Lutfi. Accusations in at least three previous orders range from obscene messages after a business deal to a neighbor who said he was hounded incessantly and threatened with bodily harm.
In October 2005, businesswoman Jumana Issa filed a complaint in Los Angeles against Lutfi; it was dismissed in March 2006 because she failed to appear for a hearing. When contacted by phone, Issa refused to comment.
In court papers, the Westside Escrow Corp. owner claimed Lutfi started harassing her from the day of closing an escrow account for him after he demanded canceling an escrow check which she said she was unable to stop payment on.
Issa said Lutfi antagonized her repeatedly with obscene e-mails, offensive faxes and late-night voice mails, hanging up on her 15 to 20 times a day, according to court documents. Public records show he was born Aug. 16, 1974, in Los Angeles. Music magazine Blender, in a March cover story on Spears, states that Lutfi grew up in Woodland Hills, where his mother reportedly owns several gas stations.
Britney Spears
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