American Idol star Laine Hardy has been arrested, and is accused of leaving a listening device in his ex-girlfriend’s dorm room.
Hardy, 21, who won Idol in 2019, is being investigated by the Louisiana State University Police Department. He said he was being “fully co-operative” with authorities in a social media post.
“I understand that my career has thrust me into the public spotlight, and I embrace that wholeheartedly as my entire world belongs to my music and my fans,” he wrote, in part.
Hardy then asked for privacy due to “the sensitive nature of this allegation.”
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“I have the utmost respect for the law and will assist in their investigation as needed moving forward.”
“Laine Reed Hardy (Non-LSU student) was arrested by LSU Police today and booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison for violation of 15:1303 — Interception and Disclosure of Wire, Electronic, or Oral Communication. His arrest warrant has been filed with clerk of court,” said LSU spokesman Ernie Ballard in a statement on Friday.
Hardy has been accused of leaving a listening device at his ex-girlfriend’s campus accommodation “to monitor her conversations” after they split.
The pair were said to have dated from November 2021 until February 2022.
According to prison booking documents, “The victim advised that last night, while watching a movie with her roommate, [they] located a device, appearing to be a phone charger under the victim’s futon.”
After googling what it was, “she learned it to be a VR-500 Voice Activated Recorder.”
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