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Richard Simmons’ Housekeeper Petitions For Trustee Position In His Estate; Claims Late Fitness Icon’s Brother Pressured Her To Relinquish Role
Richard Simmons’ housekeeper is contesting her role as trustee in his estate, alleging that the late fitness guru’s brother pressured her into giving up her position. Details below!
Richard Simmons’ housekeeper, who was the first person to discover the late fitness guru’s body in July, has filed a petition against his brother, alleging that he pressured her into relinquishing her title as a co-trustee of Simmons’ estate. Teresa Reveles, according to People, filed the petition on Wednesday, September 25, accusing Leonard ‘Lenny’ Simmons and his wife Cathy of orchestrating a “nefarious scheme” in which they convinced her to sign documents revoking her trustee role while she was still “distraught” after Richard’s passing.
“For nearly thirty-six (36) years, Teresa lived with Richard, cared for him, and was his closest friend and devoted confidant,” the petition states, emphasizing that this was the reason Simmons named Teresa as one of his successors. According to the court papers, Teresa expressed in her filing that her employer and longtime friend wanted and expected her to administer his trust if he predeceased her.
ALSO READ: All We Know About Richard Simmons: The Life And Legacy Of A Fitness Icon
The filing further details the circumstances under which Teresa signed away her rights, with her claiming that Lenny and Cathy brought her to a meeting about Richard’s finances immediately after viewing his body in an open casket. Overwhelmed with emotions at the time and fearing she would lose the inheritance Richard left her, Teresa, according to her own account, signed away her title.
Reveles also claims in her filing that she did not have the opportunity to consult a lawyer before signing the paperwork, as Cathy and Lenny refused to delay the process. With her new attorney, Teresa is seeking to regain her status in Richard’s trust and is requesting legal action against Lenny to bar him from using Richard’s image and likeness for personal gain. The caretaker claims that the brothers had not seen each other in more than six years before Richard’s death.
Richard Simmons died in his Los Angeles home just a day after celebrating his 76th birthday on July 12. ABC News reported at the time that the LAPD responded to a call from Richard’s housekeeper that day, but he had already passed by the time officers arrived. Richard’s official cause of death, according to an August statement by a family spokesperson, was revealed to be “accidental due to complications from recent falls, with heart disease as a contributing factor.”
On his birthday, Richard shared a message of gratitude to his fans via Facebook, expressing his appreciation for all the love he had received on his special day.
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