Katy Perry, 38, is being blasted online for taking 84-year-old businessman and army veteran Carl Westcott to court after she and fiancé Orlando Bloom, 46, purchased his 1930s Montecito mansion back in 2020 but he changed his mind about the sale just a few days after the deal was finalized.
Westcott is an army veteran who was a member of the famous 101st Airborne Division, and is also the owner of 1-800-Flowers. He is also the father-in-law of former Real Housewives of Dallas star, Kameron Westcott. His estate is situated in the very desirable Santa Barbara area, where A-listers such as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Oprah Winfrey currently live, which could be why Perry and Bloom wanted a property there.
Katy Perry And Orlando Bloom's Dispute With The Montecito Property's Previous Owner
According to court documents obtained by People, the American Idol judge and the Pirates of the Caribbean alum purchased the eight-bedroom and 11-bathroom property in July 2020 for $15M. But Westcott, who was reportedly diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease in 2015, changed his mind just a few days later.
According to a civil lawsuit filed against the couple's business manager, Bernie Gudvi, Westcott's lawyers said he wanted to live "the rest of his life" in the Montecito property, and argued that he was not of sound mind at the time of the sale. Westcott had reportedly been discharged from the hospital after major back surgery around the time of the sale, where he was allegedly "given a variety of medications, including the anesthesia for his surgery and pain-killing opiates."
As per the August 5th, 2020 complaint, due to a "combination of his age, frailty from his back condition and recent surgery, and the opiates he was taking several times a day," Westcott was "of unsound mind" when the transaction took place.
According to the New York Post, the non-jury trial officially commenced on September 27th, where both parties' legal teams delivered their opening statements. As per the Daily Mail, Perry and Bloom are seeking $2,669,682 in compensation to cover the cost of maintaining a different home due to the delay in moving to the Montecito home. The sum reportedly includes $1,428,571 in rent, $325,111 in mortgage interest, $343,759 in property taxes, $145,407 for gardening and $8,919 for "research – cable and internet."
Westcott's lawyers have reportedly been "stunned" by Perry's demands, as they said she never mentioned renting a substitute property, as she reportedly admitted that she owns three other homes in Santa Barbara. A Westcott family representative previously told the Daily Mail: "The bullying behavior of Katy Perry reminds us that even the brightest stars can cast shadows. In the spotlight, she sings of love and compassion, but you don't need to look too hard to see that Katy Perry has a pattern of behavior in which she seemingly targets the weak and vulnerable for her own gain."
Katy Perry Is Criticized On Social Media
Social media users have also expressed their disappointment in the "Fireworks" singer taking Westcott to court, with one tweeting: "Why are you trying to kick a dying vet out of his house? What is wrong with you? Your real estate agent is so shady, getting him to sign something while he's on drugs from surgery in the hospital." Another directly replied, writing, "Agree - she has enough houses - back off."
"WOW who knew @katyperry & Orlando Bloom were such scumbags and terrible people," tweeted another, adding: "To think she comes from a very religious family. To do this to a vet and someone who is in the last years of their life. To think I looked up to this heartless Witch! Talk about a LOWLIFE!!!!"
Westcott's Family Propose 'The Katy Perry Act' To Protect Elders From Financial Abuse
Westcott's son, Chart, and the rest of his family are hoping to protect him and other elderly people from something like this happening again, and are reportedly proposing a 'Protecting Elder Realty for Retirement Years Act' (also dubbed 'The Katy PERRY act') which will allow for a 72-hour cool-down period for future sales. The act's website suggests that "elder fraud" or "financial elder abuse" is "a rampant issue in the United States."
"The Katy PERRY Act addresses the risks of elder financial abuse, especially as it relates to property and real estate sales and transfers," the website states. "The Act establishes a 72 hour cool-down period during which either party involved in a contract for conveyance of a personal residence, in which one party is over the age of 75, can rescind the agreement without penalty."
The website also says: "The prevalence of online fraud targeting seniors increased by 400 percent in recent years, according to the FBI. 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. Additionally, the rate of cognitive impairment and/or dementia are 15 percent by age 75 and 20 percent by age 80."
"There are currently no laws to protect senior citizens against real estate transactions that unfairly target older individuals whose mental capacities may be compromised at the time of sale. The PERRY Act addresses the risks of elder financial abuse, especially as it relates to property and real estate sales and transfers."
