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Justin Bieber’s Bodyguard Fired After ‘Voicing Concern’ Over Behavior [Report]

By Page Mackinley

From the archive: published Jan 17, 2014, 12 years ago. Details may have changed since.

Justin Bieber’s current bodyguards have hit headlines for reportedly questionable behavior almost as much as the singer, but it wasn’t always thus. According to a new report, a former bodyguard and others from the same firm were allegedly fired by manager, Scooter Braun, when their attempts to curb the Canadian star’s behavior and that of his friends was seen as interference.

Radar Online reports, Dustin Folkes, one of the bodyguards employed to protect Bieber, routinely kept hysterical teenage fans and the superstar’s ever-present group of pals under control.

However, a source tells the website Folkes’ hands-on efforts were seen as too involved by the 19-year-old’s management team, and he and others hired from the same company were promptly fired.

“Dustin got into an argument with Justin’s manager Scooter about trying to help with Justin’s behavior,” the insider reveals, adding Folkes’ team often stopped the teen star’s parties at his Calabasas, CA mansion from becoming unruly.

“Dustin and his company were let go from Justin’s security detail for trying to intervene.”

The source also noted the recent egging-motivated police raid at Bieber’s home – which led to the arrest of rapper Lil Za on suspicion of felony drug possession – as an indication that his present bodyguards are more “lax” than Folkes’ team were.

Xavier “Lil Za” Smith, 20, was later booked for felony vandalism after allegedly damaging a holding cell phone.

At the post-search news conference, Lt. David Thompson said investigators the drugs found was cocaine. That view was later revised to “Molly”- a purified form of Ecstasy.

Definitive tests are still underway but Xanax – without a prescription – is also thought to be one of the substances found.

Thompson said Bieber “was not connected” to the drug arrest, subsequently telling the New York Daily News Lil Za admitted the drugs were his, saying “That’s mine” when cops came across the substances out in the open in his bedroom in the house.

Radar’s source continued:

“Dustin’s company used to watch over Bieber’s house 24/7 in 12 hour shifts to make sure his idiot friends stayed in line and chaos did not ensue.”.

“Without security that actually cares about Bieber’s well-being, things are getting out of control at the house,” they added.

Folkes was also the bodyguard who held the singer back from a March run-in with a Brit paparazzo during the controversial London leg of his Believe tour.

The insider told the outlet the [alleged] hostility between Folkes and Bieber’s management is evidenced by the blurring of Dustin’s face in the scenes he was in in the recently released Believe concert-documentary.

Folkes’ scrubbed out face can be (not) seen at at 0:47 and 1:09 in the feature trailer below.

Since the police raid and his Tuesday release from custody, Lil Za has taken to Twitter to blast the media coverage, blaming racism as the reason for his arrests — rather than the drugs.

Meanwhile, the felony vandalism and assault investigation, which reportedly caused $20,000 in damages to the neighbor’s house goes on. As it stands, Bieber is not yet exonerated or charged.

Yesterday, E! News, citing a law enforcement source said police are currently examining home security surveillance data removed from the singer’s home and his personal iPhone.

Recent reports state the “Boyfriend ” star is “really worried” about what police may retrieve from the device. It’s alleged he is concerned about [hypothetical] naked photos and possible references to drugs.

As of today Bieber’s radio silence on Twitter now stands at three days.

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