Lauren Sanchez’s Former Friend and Yoga Instructor Alleges 16-Year Vendetta Sparked by ‘Humiliating’ Dancefloor Snub in Scathing Lawsuit

Lauren Sanchez Accused of 16-Year "Revenge" Campaign in Explosive Lawsuit Ahead of Wedding
(Images: 1. Lauren Sanchez and Alanna Zabel; 2. Book covers comparison; 3. Sanchez in space suit; 4. Bill Clinton interview screenshot)

Lauren Sanchez, fiancée of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, faces a federal lawsuit alleging a 16-year vendetta against former friend Alanna Zabel, culminating in claims of copyright infringement over a children’s book. The drama unfolds days before Sanchez’s lavish wedding to Bezos in Venice.

The Dance-Off That Started It All
The feud began in 2009 at Sanchez’s 40th birthday party, where a dance-off to Boom Boom Pow by Black Eyed Peas turned sour. Zabel, a yoga instructor and author, claims guests favored her moves, prompting Sanchez to “flick her away” and humiliate her publicly. The lawsuit alleges Sanchez harbored resentment, sparking a years-long campaign to undermine Zabel.

Plagiarism Allegations
Zabel accuses Sanchez of copying her 2022 book Dharma Kitty Goes to Mars “scene for scene, plot point by plot point” for Sanchez’s 2024 New York Times bestseller The Fly Who Flew to Space. Page-by-page comparisons in the lawsuit highlight similarities, including a character gazing at Earth from a spaceship. Zabel also claims Sanchez “trolled” her by wearing a space suit resembling Dharma Kitty’s design during her April 2024 Blue Origin flight with Katy Perry and Gayle King.

Friendship Turned Sour
The pair met in 2008 when Sanchez attended Zabel’s yoga class. They grew close, with Sanchez allegedly sharing intimate details about her life, including cosmetic surgeries and a playful nickname, “Monica,” referencing her reported crush on Bill Clinton after interviewing him in 2010. Zabel gifted Sanchez her books and activewear, and they collaborated on a fitness project under a signed NDA.

The Final Straw
After the dance-floor fallout, Zabel attempted to reconcile but says Sanchez “ghosted” her. In 2022, Zabel pitched a Mars-themed book idea to Sanchez’s Bezos Earth Fund team, receiving no response before self-publishing. When Sanchez released her book in 2024, Zabel alleges it mirrored her work, leveraging Bezos’s influence to secure bestseller status—a move Zabel claims caused her “severe distress” and financial harm.

Legal Battles and Fallout
Zabel seeks damages and an injunction for breach of contract and copyright violations. The suit also references prior dismissed filings, delayed due to Zabel’s wildfire relief efforts in 2023. Sanchez, set to marry Bezos on his $500 million yacht, has not publicly commented.

(Images: Side-by-side book pages; Sanchez’s space mission; Zabel teaching yoga)

The lawsuit paints a bitter portrait of a friendship fractured by rivalry, with Zabel vowing to hold Sanchez accountable for what she calls a “calculated revenge.” As Sanchez prepares for her wedding, the legal battle threatens to overshadow her high-profile nuptials.

Final Image: Sanchez and Bezos aboard his yacht, Koru.