Katy Perry accused of using 'swarm of lawyers' to 'prey' on dying 84-year-old veteran in battle over house
Topics: Katy Perry, Celebrity, News
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: Eric McCandless/Contributor / Family Handout
Topics: Katy Perry, Celebrity, News
The family of Carl Westcott, the man who sold Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom their $15 million house, have made some bold accusations against the popstar.
Westcott and Perry are embroiled in an ongoing lawsuit in regards to a multimillion dollar property that was sold to Perry and her fiancé back in July 2020.
But Westcott and his family are now claiming that the 84-year-old was heavily medicated on 'several intoxicating pain-killing opiates' during the time of the sale and actually, he 'did not want to sell his home'.
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Westcott had been diagnosed with Huntington's Disease five years prior.
As the army veteran was 'seriously [mentally] impaired', a lawsuit filed by Westcott's lawyers insists that the contract signed to sell his home 'is therefore void or voidable'.
Now, as the court battle continues, Westcott's family have accused 'Roar' hitmaker Perry of using a 'swarm of lawyers' to prey on a dying grandfather, as per The Times.
While Westcott and his family are arguing that he wasn't in a fit state to sign a contract to sell his home, Perry's lawyers say he was in fact well enough to oversee the sale and even encouraged a bidding war between Perry and Arnold Schwarzenegger's ex wife, Maria Shriver.
Perry’s business manager, Bernie Gudvi, signed all the documents on the star's behalf back in 2020 and filed a lawsuit to enforce the sale as, reportedly, Perry has lost millions in rental income.
Gudvi was contacted by Westcott in the days that followed the sale saying that he had changed his mind.
The 36-year-old songstress will only have to testify in court if Gudvi wins the case and would therefore have to detail the losses she's had.
According to Gudvi, Perry has lost $2.7 million in rental income on the home while the property remains in limbo.
But Westcott's team have refuted this as they claim the 'California Girls' singer said she didn't intend on renting it out.
In the wake of the ongoing dispute, Westcott's family are now fronting an act called Protecting Elder Realty for Retirement Years Act, also dubbed 'The Katy Perry Act'.
This would prevent elderly people from experiencing financial abuse and give over 75s a three-day 'cooling down' period where they can choose to change their mind about buying or selling a home if they want without a penalty.
A website dedicated to the Act claims that online fraud targeting seniors increased by 400 percent in recent years.
"The Federal Trade Commission also reported that in 2020, individuals aged 60 and older filed over 93,000 complaints related to fraud, with reported losses exceeding $500 million," it added.
UNILAD has contacted Katy Perry's reps for comment.