UK Edition
Mariah Carey's management accused producers of "sabotaging" the star as a row erupted over her disastrous performance on New Year's Eve in New York's Times Square.
They claimed the Grammy-winning singer's ear piece was faulty but organisers of the show, watched by millions around the world, carried on with the "train wreck" to get get ratings.
Carey was visibly upset as she stumbled through her "New Year's Rockin' Eve" event and eventually walked off stage.
Stella Bulochnikov, her manager, wrote to organisers Dick Clark Productions, claiming the singer had repeatedly told production staff beforehand that her ear piece was not working but they went live anyway.
The manager wrote: "I should have pulled her off the stage, this is sabotage."
She also told the New York Post: "Once things went wrong they took the decision to keep rolling and make her look like a train wreck for the ratings. They owe her a public apology."
The production company, which also oversees the American Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards, hit back.
In a statement it said: "To suggest that we would ever intentionally compromise the success of any artist is defamatory, outrageous and frankly absurd.
"We want to be clear that we have the utmost respect for Mariah Carey as an artist and acknowledge her tremendous accomplishments in the industry."
A source connected to the production said no technical problems were found.
They said other performers at the event, including Gloria Estefan, rehearsed their performances while Carey used a stand-in.