Jillian Lauren: From a Life of Glamour to Legal Trouble
Jillian Lauren, the wife of Weezer bassist Scott Shriner, was recently involved in a dramatic incident involving the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) on April 8, 2025. A multifaceted personality, Lauren is known not only as a writer and performer but also as an advocate for adoption and a former escort to Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei.
Incident Overview: A Shootout with the LAPD
On April 8, 2025, the California Highway Patrol called for LAPD assistance to respond to a hit-and-run incident involving three suspects who had escaped into the Eagle Rock neighborhood near the 134 Freeway around 3:25 PM. In the course of securing the area, LAPD officers pursued one suspect and unexpectedly encountered Lauren brandishing a firearm in the yard of a neighboring residence.
Law enforcement instructed Lauren to lower her weapon, but she reportedly refused and aimed it at the officers. This standoff resulted in a shootout, during which Lauren sustained non-life-threatening injuries to her shoulder. After barricading herself inside the home for approximately 30 minutes, she ultimately surrendered, along with her babysitter, and was subsequently treated at a local hospital. Fortunately, no police personnel were injured during the encounter.
Although Lauren was arrested alongside her babysitter, both were later released. Reports indicate that she has been absentee booked for attempted murder, with law enforcement recovering a nine-millimeter handgun from her property. The investigation is ongoing and is being handled by the Force Investigation Division.
It is crucial to note that Jillian Lauren was not involved in the original hit-and-run incident. Of the three suspects initially connected to the crime, one has been captured while two others remain at large, according to various sources.
Jillian Lauren: A Snapshot of Her Life
Born Jillian Lauren Dreskin on August 16, 1973, in Livingston, New Jersey, Jillian has crafted a diverse career as a writer, feature dancer, and blogger. Married to Scott Shriner since November 2005—shortly before he joined Weezer—she and Shriner are proud adoptive parents to two children, Jovanni and Tariku.
At the age of 18, Lauren relocated to New York City, where she initially enrolled in the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU but left to pursue opportunities in theater. This decision soon led her to the world of exotic dancing, and she later had a high-profile opportunity to work as an escort for wealthy individuals, including Prince Jefri Bolkiah, who was notorious for his extravagant lifestyle.
Her Time with Prince Jefri Bolkiah
For 18 months, Lauren traveled with the prince, sharing her experiences with audiences during a January 2024 podcast, What It Was Like. She candidly described the moment she realized the nature of her role: “I was being invited by the younger brother of the richest man in the world…and he got a little taste for American girls.”
“I just happened to be one of them.”
She explained how deception played a role in her journey, revealing that she had misled her parents into thinking she was filming a movie in Singapore. Upon entering Brunei, she was struck by the wealth and power surrounding the monarchy, feeling both intimidated and intrigued. During her time in the palace, she described the complex dynamics of being surrounded by luxury yet feeling guarded and controlled.
“It was a palace and it was a prison. You’re under guard at all times.”
Lauren’s memoir, Some Girls: My Life in a Harem, published in 2010, delves deeper into her harrowing experiences, exploring themes of captivity and emotional conflict. The book has garnered international attention and has been translated into fourteen languages.
Through her narrative, she reflects on her emotional attachment to the prince, her feelings of disillusionment, and the stark reality of her choices. Despite recognizing the toxic aspects of her experience, she retained a sense of connection to the prince, describing complex feelings of loyalty intertwined with the struggles of the life she chose.
“What happened to my dreams? What happened to my schooling?”
Current Pursuits and Future Aspirations
Beyond her controversial past, Lauren has reinvented herself as an expert in true crime, tackling subjects such as the life of serial killer Samuel Little in her 2023 book, Behold the Monster. Meanwhile, Scott Shriner has not publicly commented on his wife’s ongoing legal challenges as he prepares for an upcoming performance with Weezer at the 2025 Coachella festival.
While the situation unfolds, Lauren’s multifaceted life serves as a reminder of the complexities that intertwine personal struggle and public perception.