Britney Spears sued by former "manager"

Singer Britney Spears performs with Madonna during Madonna's "Sticky and Sweet" tour at Dodgers stadium in Los Angeles November 6, 2008. [Agencies]

LOS ANGELES - The former self-styled manager of Britney Spears sued the pop star and her parents on Tuesday, accusing them of slander and failing to pay his fees.

Sam Lutfi, Spears' constant companion in late 2007 at the height of her personal and professional meltdown, filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court after a renewed flurry of legal moves against him.

His lawsuit names Britney Spears, her father and mother Jamie and Lynne Spears, and alleges libel, defamation, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and breach of contract.

He is seeking unspecified damages.

The lawsuit was filed four days after Jamie Spears obtained a restraining order against Lutfi and Spears' former boyfriend, photographer Adnan Ghalib, ordering them to stay away from the singer and her family.

Britney Spears' spokeswoman was not available to comment.

The legal sparring followed months of relative peace on the Spears front after a year of bizarre behavior including Britney shaving her head and bouncing in and out of rehab.

Spears, 27, has since staged a comeback with a new album in December and a U.S. and British tour due to start in March.

Jamie Spears was granted temporary control of his daughter's personal affairs in February 2008. He obtained a restraining order against Lutfi but later dropped it when Lutfi agreed to voluntarily keep his distance.

Last week lawyers argued that Lutfi and Ghalib had tried to disrupt the agreement and a new order was granted.