Country singer Laine Hardy was arrested Friday on a charge of eavesdropping.
Hardy, who won Season 17 of “American Idol” in 2019, turned himself in to the Louisiana State University police after his ex-girlfriend found a recording device planted in her dorm room, according to Baton Rouge ABC affiliate WBRZ TV.
Hardy was charged with interception and disclosure of wire, electronic or oral communication, a felony punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 and prison time of up to 10 years. According to a police affidavit, his ex-girlfriend says he admitted to her that he’d planted the device.
Hardy’s ex told investigators she found the device under her bed in February, when she and Hardy broke up. She initially thought it was just a phone charger, but she realized it was a recorder after looking it up online.
Investigators said the device held several recordings, some of which featured the 21-year-old singer’s “very distinguishable” voice. According to arrest documents obtained by WBRZ, some of the recordings were made after the breakup.
The alleged victim told police that she suspected Hardy left the recording device because he seemed to know details about her life she hadn’t told him, according to The Advocate.
“The victim advised she immediately confronted [Hardy], to which he admitted to her that he left a ‘bug’ in her room but later discarded it in his pond,” a police affidavit obtained by The Advocate reads.
The woman also told police that Hardy admitted to planting the device on another occasion. According to The Advocate, she was able to provide screenshots of the admission.
The singer posted a message on social media Thursday night acknowledging the warrant, and said he has been “fully cooperative” with investigators.
“I humbly ask for privacy at this time,” he wrote.
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