Britney Spears's manager Larry Rudolph resigns, citing singer's intention to retire
'It has been over 2 1/2 years since Britney and I last communicated,' writes Rudolph
Britney Spears's longtime manager Larry Rudolph has decided to end his ties with the pop star. In a letter to the singer's co-conservators — first published by media outlet Deadline, and later verified by Variety — Rudolph cited Spears's intention to retire as a singer.
Larry Rudolph wrote to James Spears and court-appointed care manager Jodi Montgomery that his "services are no longer needed" as Britney had been "voicing her intention to officially retire," the report said.
"It has been over 2 1/2 years since Britney and I last communicated, at which time she informed me she wanted to take an indefinite work hiatus," the letter read.
"As her manager, I believe it is in Britney's best interest for me to resign from her team as my professional services are no longer needed."
Britney Spears, 39, has been under a conservatorship since she suffered a mental health breakdown in 2008, with decisions about her finances and personal care controlled by her father, James Spears. Last year, she began the legal process to remove him from handling her personal affairs.
Last month, the singer told Los Angeles judge Brenda Penny overseeing the arrangement that she wanted it to end. Spears called the 13-year conservatorship abusive, saying she felt traumatized and angry and wanted her life back.
In that testimony, she specified her management as one of the causes of her distress.
"Ma'am, my dad and anyone involved in this conservatorship and my management who played a huge role in punishing me when I said no — ma'am, they should be in jail," she said.
Friction between James Spears, Britney
James Spears is credited with reviving his daughter's career after she underwent highly public emotional and mental health issues in 2008. That year, he was appointed as one of the managers of a conservatorship that controls her money and affairs, alongside lawyer Andrew Wallet. Wallet has since resigned from that position.
In past filings, Spears said that she feared her father and would not end her career hiatus as long as he had control over it.
In response, James Spears's role as conservator for his daughter shrank — he now serves as co-conservator of his daughter's finances along with estate management firm the Bessemer Trust.
In early July, Bessemer Trust submitted papers requesting its resignation from that position "due to changed circumstances."
In the filing, the firm explained it had been under the understanding that Spears's conservatorship was voluntary, and her testimony made the firm "aware that the Conservatee objects to the continuance of her Conservatorship and desires to terminate the conservatorship."
James Spears also relinquished his role as conservator over his daughter's life choices in 2019 to a court-appointed professional. And after her testimony in June, James Spears asked a court to investigate her statements about his control over her medical treatment and personal life.
In a pair of documents, he emphasized that he has had no power over his daughter's personal affairs for nearly two years.
Britney Spears's next court date is set for July 14, where a court will formally hear Bessemer Trust's petition to leave the conservatorship. Spears herself is not expected to speak at the hearing.
Rudolph, who had worked with the singer for over 25 years, said in the letter he had never been a part of the conservatorship or its operations. Rudolph was not immediately available to comment on the Variety or Deadline articles and the letter.
With files from Reuters