Britney Spears was hesitant to get back together with her felon ex Paul Soliz – and it wasn’t because of his past criminal record or previous claims he was ‘using her for clout’.
Rumors erupted that the Baby One More Time singer, 43, had reconciled with her former handyman-turned-boyfriend in early February after they were spotted at a playground with two of his children.
Weeks later, they appeared to confirm that their romance was back on after they were pictured together on Valentine’s Day.
Now, a source has told DailyMail.com that Britney, who recently reconciled with her sons, was torn due to accusations he is a ‘dead beat dad’.
They claimed that Britney loves that Paul, who has a criminal record that includes charges of disturbing the peace and felony firearm possession, ‘makes her the center of his world’ after feeling like her ex-husband Sam Asghari was ‘never present.’
‘Britney felt like Sam ignored her and was never present. He was always playing video games and she felt he never really wanted to spend time with her unless it was for a social media post, or if he needed some help getting an audition,’ the insider claimed.
Britney Spears (seen in 2019) was hesitant to get back together with her felon ex Paul Soliz because of his lack of a relationship with his kids, a source told dailyMail.com
Britney and Paul seemed to confirm that they had reconciled when they enjoyed a day out on Valentine’s Day together (pictured)
Rumors erupted that the singer, 43, had reconciled with her former handyman-turned-boyfriend in early February after they were spotted at a playground with two of his children
‘Paul makes Britney the center of his world.’
DailyMail.com exclusively spoke to the mother of five of his nine children last year, who accused him of being a ‘deadbeat dad’ and failing to pay child support.
‘Britney had to fight so hard to get her boys back in her life, so this was the one thing that really made her question him,’ the insider dished.
The singer reunited with her formerly estranged sons Sean Preston, 19, and Jayden Federline, 18, who she shares with ex-husband Kevin Federline, last year after their relationship became fractured.
The source claimed Britney has ‘worked hard’ to make sure that Paul is now a ‘present father to his kids’ and that she has happily ‘taken on the role of stepmom.’
‘They are giving her the years that she lost with her own two sons,’ they added.
‘She never got to see them go from kids to young adults and she very much likes doing this.’
Britney’s friends are ‘concerned’ that Paul will ‘suck her dry and leave her like men have in the past.’
‘Britney had to fight so hard to get her boys back in her life, so this was the one thing that really made her question him,’ the insider said (pictured with her sons in 2018)
The source claimed that Britney loves that Paul ‘makes her the center of his world’ after feeling like her ex Sam Asghari (pictured) ‘ignored her and wasn’t present’
They added that she’s unfazed by his past legal problems because she has ‘always had a thing for bad boys’
But they said the singer doesn’t care if those around her don’t support her romance and insists that he ‘makes her happy,’ even though they’ve had ‘several blowout fights.’
They said: ‘The concern is that he will suck her dry and leave her like men have in the past. Britney is well-aware of how everyone in her life feels about Paul.
‘She says that he makes her happy even though they have had several blowout fights.
‘It is like she is constantly having to defend her reasoning for wanting to be with this man.’
DailyMail.com has reached out to Britney’s rep for comment.
Britney and Paul are said to have met when he was hired to complete household tasks and maintenance for her.
In the months following her split from Sam in August 2023, she was spotted with Paul on numerous occasions, even spending time with his kids.
In May 2024, Britney sparked concerns for her mental health when she was pictured barefoot and topless with Paul outside the Chateau Marmont. Initial reports claimed the pair had got into a fight.
Pauls’ ex Nicole Mancilla (pictured) told DailyMail.com last year: ‘My husband fell in Britney’s p***y. He was married, and now he denies his children. He neglects his children for her’
Shock photos showed the star wrapped in a blanket while being escorted out to emergency services.
TMZ reported that police were called after a ‘disturbance’ with a woman matching Britney’s description reportedly ‘harassing and threatening hotel employees and guests.’
It was claimed that the singer was ‘screaming and out of control in the hallway of her suite’ with ‘several guests’ thinking she was having a mental breakdown.
Britney did not get into an ambulance, but left with her security.
Explaining the chaos on Instagram, she said that she had ‘twisted her ankle’ and that ‘paramedics showed up at her door illegally.’
‘They never came in my room but I felt completely harassed. I’m moving to Boston. Peace,’ she wrote.
That same month, Pauls’ ex Nicole Mancilla made a series of shocking accusations about him exclusively to DailyMail.com.
She claimed he cheated on her with Britney and had not paid bills for his five kids with her or his other children with other women.
The insider said that Britney’s friends are ‘concerned’ that Paul will ‘suck her dry and leave her like men have in the past’
But they said the hitmaker doesn’t care if those around her don’t support her romance and insists that he ‘makes her happy,’ even though they’ve had ‘several blowout fights’
‘My husband fell in Britney Spears’ p***y. He was married, and now he denies his children,’ she said. ‘He neglects his children for her.’
‘He’s the EBT Nick Cannon,’ Mancilla added, referring to Electronic Benefits Transfer food stamps and the TV host who has 12 children with multiple women.
‘He has 10 kids. He doesn’t support any of them,’ Nicola’s mom, who was housing her daughter and their kids told DailyMail.com.
‘They have a one-year-old together and he doesn’t even pay attention to that one either.
‘He’s a deadbeat dad. It’s difficult for me, because he doesn’t support not one kid. And they’re at my house.’
Court records obtained by DailyMail.com showed a civil case against Paul brought by DCSS on March 22, 2024, with a demand for Paul to pay $1,167 monthly child support plus 50 percent of healthcare costs for three kids.
In September 2021 an LA judge determined that he was the father of two of Nicola’s kids, as well as two more kids from another woman; the paternity of Nicola’s youngest child has not been officially determined by the courts.
LA County also filed a complaint against Paul in 2019 for $615 monthly child support he allegedly owed to a woman named Alexandra Gonzalez for their twins.
In May 2024, Britney sparked mental health crisis concerns after she was pictured barefoot and topless with Paul outside the Chateau Marmont
On Instagram afterwards, Britney said that she had ‘twisted her ankle’ and that ‘paramedics showed up at her door illegally’
A judgement in January 2022 confirmed he was the father, but said his child support obligation was ‘zero.’
Paul was convicted in connection with disturbing the peace in April 2014; his plea deal led to a child endangerment charge against him being dismissed.
He was also convicted of driving without a license in 2016, Us Weekly reported, citing court documents.
A charge of driving with a suspended license was dismissed that year after a plea agreement, according to Page Six.
In December 2020, Paul was then convicted for felony firearm possession, during the time he was working for Britney.
Then, in September 2023 he was seen at the San Fernando Superior Court after allegedly violating his probation.
It was reported in July that they had split, with an insider telling DailyMail.com at the time: ‘She chose her children and her well-being over Paul.
‘She has contact with her children again and this is what is most important to her.
‘She also saw how Paul was a deadbeat dad and this was a major turnoff for her. But, before anything, she knew that staying with him would only lead her down a dark path. His history speaks for itself.’
Despite his past, Paul insisted that he wasn’t a ‘bad dude’ in an interview with Backgrid in September.
He confessed he has a ‘handful of children’ and that one of the mothers has died.
‘I have custody of my children, I’m not a bad dude. I own my own business. I do licensed contractor technique tile,’ he said.