KATY Perry has been blasted by the family of a veteran for making brazen “justice” claims in court following his ousting from his $15 million home.
Carl Westcott’s sons have accused the singer of pursuing a “painful legal battle while our father, a mentally disabled Army veteran, is in declining health.”
Katy Perry, pictured with her former partner, Orlando Bloom, spoke in court in defence of her claim against Carl Westcott[/caption]
An ailing and bedridden Carl Westcott, 85, who has a neurological disorder and is fighting Perry’s claim for back rent and alleged damages[/caption]
The bedridden octogenarian, 85, has been fighting for the remainder of the $15 million purchase price of his property.
Westcott’s family is outraged the pop star is suing the ailing man – who receives 24/7 care in a hospice – for $6 million to cover back rent and alleged damages.
He has already received $9 million for his former Mediterranean-style mansion in Montecito, which he sold to the star for $15 million during the Covid pandemic.
Perry testified on Tuesday at the Superior Court of the State of California in Los Angeles, in front of Judge Joseph Lipner.
A source who attended the court session later told The U.S. Sun, “Perry appeared on Zoom at 11am as ordered.
“She was wearing this grey shirt and pants that actually looked like pyjamas. The background was blurred out but appeared to be some lavish style of hallway.
“She was… very polite. She continually said ‘yes sir’ in addressing the court – but she also looked… calm.”
Perry was cross-examined by Westcott’s attorney, Andrew Thomas, about the house purchase, and to clarify who owned the luxury home.
And at one stage, she appeared to lose track of the number of homes she owns.
Per the court documents, Thomas asked her yesterday, “Ms Perry, it’s true isn’t it, that 2020 before you entered a contract to buy a house from Mr. Westcott you already owned three houses in Santa Barbara?”
She replied, “Three houses, I don’t recall if it’s three – there might be more.”
Asked to clarify, Perry added, “I owned, now that I counted it, I owned three houses to house my family… in Santa Barbara county.”
She said that her business manager, Bernie Gudvi, had signed the contract to buy Westcott’s home.
BLOOM THE OWNER
However, Perry confirmed she had seen and “liked” the house before making an offer, according to the court documents.
She also told the court that her ex-fiancé Orlando Bloom is the actual property owner.
Westcott’s lawyer asked, “After you acquired the title on May 17, 2024… the title entered up in the name of a company called D Dove B LLC, right?”
Perry confirmed, “Yes sir.”
Thomas continued, “And Bernie Gudvi testified this is the case. Is it true that D Dove B LLC is Orlando Bloom’s company?”
Per the filings, Perry replied, “It is one of his LLCs.”
The Perry V Westcott case is back to court this month for the penalty phase[/caption]
The lawyer asked, “So when title to the house was transferred as a result of this lawsuit, it never went to you or any entity that you control, isn’t that true?”
Perry confirmed, “Yes sir.”
Thomas said, “You don’t own any of that company, right?”
She replied, “I don’t.”
Thomas added, “That’s all owned by Orlando Bloom?”
Perry said, “Yes sir.”
She was further cross-examined about the financing of the property, the court documents show.
Thomas asked whether the singer had “contributed any of the money that was required by the LLC to complete the purchase of the property in May of 2024?” Perry replied, “No.”
WANTS JUSTICE
She told the court she was seeking “justice” from her civil suit.
Thomas asked Perry, “Do you stand to gain money or anything else from the outcome of this litigation?”
She replied, “Yes, justice.”
COULD LOSE MONEY
The lawyer responded, “How about money – do you stand to make any money from the outcome of this litigation?”
Perry said, “I stand to lose money if it doesn’t work in my favor.”
Asked further what the financial stake” would be for Perry, the singer replied that the, “financial stake could be lost money, lawyers’ fees, lost income for rental, and that’s about it.”
BITTER FAMILY REACTION
Speaking to The U.S. Sun on Wednesday, to reflect upon Perry’s court appearance, one of Westcott’s sons, Chart, who lives in Puerto Rico, slammed her comment about seeking “justice.”
He said, “Katy talks about seeking ‘justice’, but for five years my family has endured a painful legal battle while our father, a mentally disabled 85-year-old Army veteran, is in declining health.
“The real buyer was Orlando Bloom, yet that only came to light years later.
“Katy already owns multiple homes in Montecito and has extraordinary wealth.
“She could live anywhere in the world, but she chose to press forward in a way that has deeply hurt our family.
“We wish there had been more empathy, more humanity, and more understanding.”
Perry’s rep has been contacted for comment.
HEALTH ISSUES
Her lawsuit follows a successful, and lengthy, court fight to buy the Montecito home from its former owner, Carl Westcott – who had tried to back out of the deal, citing health reasons.
He has Huntington’s disease, a condition that stops parts of the brain working properly over time.
Westcott had accused the singer of taking advantage of him to buy his property in Southern California.
But Perry, 40, and Bloom, 48, last year collected the keys to the mansion after winning their initial court battle with the octogenarian.
Chart Westcott has previously said that his dad, Carl, has “been in a horrible condition”[/caption]
The Perry V Westcott case is now back in court for the penalty phase.
Perry is citing alleged structural defects, deferred maintenance, and lost rental income, following the purchase of the mansion in 2020, according to court documents.
ALLEGATIONS
The star’s testimony on Tuesday comes after bombshell allegations and revelations in the Superior Court last Thursday, including:
- The court was told that her ex, Orlando Bloom, is the true owner of the “luxury” property – not Perry
- The plaintiff’s attorney blasted Perry for expecting “star treatment” after her legal team asked for her to be allowed to testify on the first day of the trial, August 21
- Judge Lipner called it “outrageous” and “not right” that Perry’s limited availability was disclosed the night before trial, putting Westcott’s counsel at a “strategic disadvantage”
- Westcott’s team emphasized that insurance had already paid out $60,000 for a fallen tree and $80,000 for flood damage, and suggested the claims were inflated
- The judge asked why Westcott should pay for an “act of God” in regards to a tree fall, and flooding
Last Thursday, at the Los Angeles civil court, there appeared to be confusion over who actually owned the home, per the filings.
The pop singer’s business manager, Bernie Gudvi, was asked under cross-examination to confirm that Perry “bought the house.”
But, Gudvi told Westcott’s lawyer, “She didn’t buy it… I don’t know who bought the house.”
Andrew Thomas, for the plaintiff, asked, “You have no idea?”
Gudvi – who said last Thursday he had been with the star “since the start of her career” – responded, “I believe Mr Bloom bought the house through some controlled entity.”
Thomas repeated, “It’s your understanding that it was Mr Bloom who purchased the house?”
Perry’s business manager confirmed, “That’s correct.”
After her initial successful verdict to purchase the Montecito home, Perry lodged a damages claim for $6 million against Westcott, which is currently before the court[/caption]
The singer split amicably with actor Bloom earlier this year. They share one child, 4-year-old Daisy.
Bloom owns the home under a limited liability company, the court was told.
WARNING
And the judge slammed Perry’s legal team for giving Westcott’s attorneys little warning that she wanted to appear last Thursday – on the first day of the trial.
Per the court documents, he asked, “Why did you just tell Westcott yesterday that she was available only to to testify today [Thursday]?”
Perry’s attorney, Alex Lindhart, replied, “We told him before 4.30 the day before the testimony… that’s the advance notice.”
The judge said, “It’s not your case, it’s his case… it doesn’t reflect well on you, it doesn’t reflect well on Ms. Hudson [Katy Perry’s real name].
“It’s really outrageous. It puts them in a strategic disadvantage and it’s not nice. It’s not right.”
Timeline of Katy Perry’s mansion battle against veteran Carl Westcott
July 2020: Entrepreneur Carl Westcott, US Army veteran and founder of 1-800 Flowers – sold his Montecito mansion to Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom for $15 million. Westcott had bought it only two months earlier for about $11.25 million.
August 2020: Westcott filed a lawsuit against Perry and Bloom’s business manager, Bernie Gudvi, alleging he was heavily medicated and not of sound mind when he contracted with Perry for the sale.
The pop star’s legal team countered and alleged that Westcott, who has Huntington’s disease, had changed his mind on the sale, and the contract should be upheld.
December 2023: A judge ruled in favor of Perry, and upheld the original sales contract. A Los Angeles judge ruled that Westcott failed to prove incapacity, finding him of sound mind during the sale negotiations.
March 2024: The keys were exchanged. On May 17, 2024, Perry officially took legal ownership after the deed was recorded.
2024-2025: Phase two of the legal action – after the successful verdict, Perry lodged a damages claim for $6 million against Westcott, who is bedridden and currently receiving 24/7 care.
This claim has yet to go before court.
August 2025: Damage claims and ongoing litigation – Perry has paid $9 million so far for the luxury property and is now seeking $6 million in damages, citing structural defects, deferred maintenance, and lost rental income.
Lipner then asked for other dates that she could appear in court.
After her team contacted her, Perry agreed to testify in person on Tuesday.
According to the filings, Thomas thanked the judge for his intervention, and told the court, “It would be extremely prejudicial for me to try to talk to her today.
“We’re ending up with special treatment for a star… she should be available – it’s her case.”
BACKGROUND
The case has been controversial, with Westcott’s family previously blasting the star for being “a rich pop star who can buy any other house in the world.”
In March 2024, the keys were exchanged, and Perry – through her business manager – began pursuing Westcott for back rent and alleged damages to the tune of $6 million.
The attempted recovery of such costs is normal in civil litigation.
During the Covid pandemic, Westcott signed the property deal with Gudvi, after initially agreeing to sell his 8.9-acre estate to Perry.
However, the octogenarian later claimed that due to a number of health issues at the time – including that his judgment was impaired by surgery and pain medication – he did not have sufficient mental capacity to enter into the contract.
But, in a victory for the star, Judge Lipner concluded in 2023 that Westcott did not have enough evidence to support this claim and that the property rightfully belonged to Perry.
The case continues.
Who is Carl Westcott?
Katy Perry is suing the bedridden and ailing veteran, 85, who has a neurological disorder
Carl Westcott was born in 1939 at the charity hospital in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
Westcott and his five sisters lived in a house without indoor plumbing.
When Westcott was six, his father – who drove a logging truck – left and never returned.
His mother became a nurse’s aide, earning just $5 per eight-hour shift.
When he was five, Westcott sold papers in front of the Vicksburg Hotel, as well as chewing gum – he also shined shoes.
“By the time I was eight, I was making more money than my mother.”
The judge ruled that the boy should go to Columbia Training School, a state institution, until the situation improved at home.
When Westcott was 16, he asked his mother to change his birth date in the family Bible to prove he was old enough to join the U.S. Army.
He became a paratrooper and was honorably discharged as a corporal
After becoming a successful car salesman, he joined Sopp Chevrolet as the dealership’s general manager.
In 1983, Westcott bought the NBC television affiliate in Tyler, Texas.
His firm, Westcott Communications, became a pioneer in producing training programs in 18 fields such as automobile dealership management, certified public accountants, and law enforcement personnel.
The company went public in 1989, and Westcott sold it in 1996.
He said that, throughout his lengthy life, he has treated others with respect and dignity.
Source: Horatio Algar Association of Distinguished Americans – Westcott was an award recipient in 2003
