Why Is Britney Spears and Sam Asgharis Divorce Still Dragging On?

Britney Spears’ ex Sam Asghari appears to be living his best life since his split from the superstar. On January 8, he posed for red carpet photos at the Young Hollywood & the Breakout Stars of 2023 event in L.A., and three days later, the US Sun reported he’d name-dropped Spears to score a photo with Brad Pitt at a Beverly Hills gallery exhibition.

The “Toxic” singer isn’t exactly thrilled Asghari is still using his connection to her to secure invites to industry events and rub shoulders with Hollywood’s elite. “She feels Sam is playing the ‘Mr. Britney Spears’ card for everything it’s worth,” says a source, “and she finds it kind of pathetic.”

It’s been especially hard on Spears, 42, as she and Asghari are currently clashing over the details of their divorce. The former trainer, 29, filed for divorce in August 2023 after 14 months of marriage. As Us previously reported, Spears and Asghari signed an ironclad prenup before they tied the knot in June 2022, but now sources claim Asghari wants more money.

“Sam feels he should be compensated properly for everything he went through with Britney,” says one source, referring to the erratic behavior and mood swings Asghari witnessed while married to the pop star. “The exact amount he wants is being kept confidential, but he’s not happy with what Britney and her team have proposed.” Adds a second source: “Sam is going for everything under the sun.” Representatives for Spears declined to comment on the divorce proceedings. A representative for Asghari did not respond to a request for comment.

A source told Us in July 2022 that, per the terms of their prenup, Asghari would get $1 million for every two years of marriage to Spears, while waiving his rights to the Grammy winner’s music catalog and signing an NDA. (She’s worth an estimated $60 million.) But the settlement is “stuck in limbo,” says the first source. “There’s a lot of wrangling back and forth. Things have become a lot more complicated than both of them had hoped it would be.”

While Spears had reportedly been paying for Asghari’s luxury apartment rental following their split, a third source tells Us that’s no longer the case. “Britney is in no mood to be pushed around or rushed into signing over another huge check to Sam,” says the first source, noting that so far, she isn’t budging when it comes to the terms of their prenup. “She wants to stick to the letter of the paperwork and feels that’s all he’s entitled to, period.”

It’s a sore subject for the star. In 2022, Spears’ legal team claimed her father, Jamie, paid himself at least $6 million while acting as her conservator and spent more than $30 million of her earnings on legal fees associated with the 13-year conservatorship. “Britney is still deeply resentful over how much money certain family members have managed to mooch off of her through the years,” says the first source. After her 2007 divorce from Kevin Federline, Spears reportedly paid the former backup dancer $1.3 million, and he receives $40,000 a month from her in child support for their two sons, Sean, 18, and Jayden, 17, who live with him in Hawaii.

Now Asghari believes he’s entitled to more than he agreed to initially. “Sam isn’t hurting for cash, but he’s willing to dig in and fight for the extra money he feels he deserves,” says the first source. An insider told Us in January 2023 that Spears was “emotionally abusive” and could be “cruel” toward Asghari, often taking her stress out on him. The insider said she also blamed Asghari for their May 2022 miscarriage, telling him that she “lost the baby because he is never home.”

Things seemed amicable enough when Spears and Asghari announced their split in August. “We will hold onto the love and respect we have for each other and I wish her the best always,” he wrote in an Instagram statement. Spears confirmed the breakup a few days later, telling fans via social media that she was “a little shocked” but doing “pretty damn good.” She added, “I’m not here to explain why because it’s honestly nobody’s business.”

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At the time, rumors circulated Spears had been unfaithful with a member of her staff, but an insider told Us Spears’ inner circle “would be really surprised if she cheated,” adding, “Britney and Sam wanted different things and couldn’t agree on several issues such as having children.” In 2022, a source told Us the pair had “skipped the honeymoon phase” of their marriage and were “constantly fighting,” particularly over Spears’ lack of focus and built-up anger from her conservatorship.

As of now, Spears and Asghari aren’t speaking. “They’ve exchanged pleasantries, but generally they don’t talk,” says the first source. “It’s difficult with this situation being unresolved, plus both of them are keen to put the marriage behind them and move on with their lives.” During a January 7 interview with Life & Style, Asghari said he was focused on his acting career and added that he was “not looking for a partner.”

Spears would like to settle down again eventually, but the first source says she’s not in a rush. In late January, she shared photos of herself enjoying some beach time in French Polynesia. “Britney’s just cutting loose, flirting with cute guys and looking to have fun,” says the source. “She’s not up for anything serious.”

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