KATY Perry’s court battle to extract $6 million from an elderly disabled veteran she evicted from his home has been slammed as “unforgivable.”

The family of Carl Westcott – who has a neurological disorder – is outraged the popstar is suing the 85-year-old for back rent and alleged damages.

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Katy Perry and her actor husband Orlando Bloom won a court battle to evict an elderly disabled veteran from his home

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Carl Westcott, 85, with his grandson Cruise Westcott and grand daughter Hilton Westcott, with their mom Kameron Westcott, who was on the Real Housewives of DallasCredit: Supplied by the Westcott Family

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The Hollywood stars bought a luxurious mansion in Montecito, California from Carl Westcott – but the sale ended up in court, with a judge in 2023 ordering the home to be turned over to Katy PerryCredit: Supplied by the Westcott Family
Perry, 40, and her actor husband Orlando Bloom, 48, last year won a court battle with the military veteran who had accused her of taking advantage of him to buy his mansion in Southern California.

In 2020, the Hollywood stars bought the luxurious mansion in Montecito – home to celebrities such as Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Gwyneth Paltrow – which Westcott owned.

During the Covid pandemic, Westcott signed the property deal with Bernie Gudvi, the star’s business manager, 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 $14.2 million contract.

Westcott suffers from Huntington’s disease, a brutal condition that stops parts of the brain working properly over time. It gets gradually worse and is usually fatal after a period of up to 20 years.

He said that he no longer wanted to sell his home, which resulted in legal action with the singer.

Then, in 2023, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Joseph Lipner concluded that Westcott did not have enough evidence to support this claim and that the property rightfully belonged to Perry.

In March 2024, the keys were exchanged.

Following the successful verdict, Perry – through her business manager Bernie Gudvi – began pursuing Westcott for back rent and alleged damages to the tune of $6 million.

And last week, the presiding judge mandated that Perry should appear to testify on her damages claim in the Los Angeles civil court.
Kamala Harris starstruck as she meets Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom on election day
There is also a subpoena motion before the court seeking the appearance of Bloom to serve as a material witness, said a spokeswoman for Westcott.

But Perry’s manager is fighting against this motion, and has accused Westcott of “harassing Bloom… to turn the trial into a media circus.”

Westcott is currently in a hospice, said one of his sons, Chart, who lives in Puerto Rico.

It’s how the Hollywood elite system works – I’ve seen this up close – they treat ordinary people like dirt, it’s been a difficult time for the family.

Chart Westcott, son of disabled veteran, Carl Westcott

The U.S. Sun reached out to Chart Westcott who said that his dad has “been in a horrible condition, bedridden for well over 18 months.

“His activity level is very low, he’s not awake very often, he’s very foggy – and still recognises us, but the decline is just consistent, and very painful for our family to watch.”

Chart, 39, said of Perry’s multi-million-dollar damages lawsuit, “It was shocking when it happened in the first place.

“If an old man apologizes and says he made a mistake [about the house sale], and she’s a rich pop star who can buy any other house in the world, you’d think she would let the old man go on his way.”

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 for $15 million.

August 2020: Westcott filed a lawsuit against Perry and Orlando 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 popstar’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 sales contract.

March 2024: The keys were exchanged.

2024-2025: Phase two of the legal action – after the successful verdict, Katy Perry lodged a damages claim for $6 million against Carl Westcott, who is bedridden and currently receiving 24/7 care.

According to court documents, the star’s team is seeking compensation for alleged lost rental value, deferred maintenance, repairs for water damage and a fallen tree.

This claim has yet to go before court, with the case set to be heard in August 2025.

He also alleged, “It’s entitled celebrity behaviour.

“She has no sense of fair play, no empathy, zero empathy, quite the opposite.

“The worse the condition my father is in, the harsher they’ve been in trial; it’s unfortunate to see the way her lawyers have conducted themselves, bottom of the barrel in terms of ethics.”

The purpose of Carl Westcott’s subpoena is to harass Orlando Bloom so as to further sensationalize and turn the narrow scope of this remedies phase of the trial into a media circus.”

Attorneys’ motion to exclude Bloom’s testimony

Chart also accused the singer of pressing ahead with the damages claim out of “greed.”

“She can cause damage in other people’s lives,” he claimed.

“There’s no real explanation other than greed.

“This is such a small deal to be worried about – I think its a matter of privilege – her lawyers and her business manager are dealing with it.

“The last hearing we had, the judge has said she must testify.”

UNFORGIVABLE

When asked if the Westcott family has a message for Perry and Bloom, Chart paused at length.

He then replied, “It’s a hard question, because I don’t feel like anyone is listening – they sold their souls long ago… they chose this.

“It’s unforgivable how they have conducted their affairs.

“But it’s how the Hollywood elite system works – I’ve seen this up close – they treat ordinary people like dirt, it’s been a difficult time for the family.”

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Carl Westcott is 85 years old and is bedridden with Huntington’s disease, a condition that stops parts of the brain working properly over timeCredit: Supplied by the Westcott Family

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Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom sent Carl Westcott a letter expressing their “joy” upon the property deal – before it ended up in court

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Katy Perry won her legal battle over the $15 million Montecito mansion – but the second phase is underwayCredit: AFP

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Carl Westcott is a US Army veteranCredit: Supplied by the Westcott Family
Chart added, “Everyone knows Dad is bedridden – and he has survived longer than we ever expected, it’s a miracle he’s still alive.

“Dad has not talked about this damages case.

“We are inherently very reasonable people, and we are interested in a reasonable outcome for all involved, it’s unfortunate that Katy and Orlando have been unreasonable from the start.”

The U.S. Sun has contacted the couple’s lawyers and Perry’s rep for comment.

Motion to exclude Orlando Bloom at damages trial

Katy Perry is seeking a damages claim for $6 million in the second phase of her legal action against Carl Westcott.

Attorneys for Katy Perry’s business manager Bernie Gudvi have applied to the Superior Court of California for an order excluding any testimony from Orlando Bloom at the trial in mid-August.

They’ve also requested an order “quashing the trial subpoena issued to Mr Bloom by Plaintiff Carl Westcott.”

Their legal filings, dated February 14, 2025, alleged: “Mr Bloom has no knowledge of facts relating to the calculation of compensation.

“The purpose of Westcott’s subpoena is to harass Mr Bloom so as to further sensationalize and turn the narrow scope of this remedies phase of the trial into a media circus.”

The court documents further alleged: “Plaintiff Carl Westcott has insisted that Katheryn Hudson aka Katy Perry supposedly has unspecified testimony relating to the calculation of the compensation owed to Defendant Bernie Gudvi in connection with the court’s award of specific performance, and that he urges must be aired at trial.

“However, Westcott now has gone a step further, issuing a trial subpoena to not just Ms Hudson but to Orlando Bloom, her long-time partner. Mr Bloom has no knowledge remotely bearing on the facts of this case.

“He does not know what compensation is owed to Gudvi for specific performance of the July 2020 real property sale contract, what damage to the property had occurred before Gudvi took ownership last year, or how to estimate and assess the cost of those damages.

“Indeed, all those areas are the appropriate subject of expert testimony from some of the nineteen licensed contractors and sub-contractors who inspected the property.

“Neither Westcott nor the court needs percipient testimony from Ms Hudson’s partner.

“It was one thing to seek testimony from Ms Hudson despite her limited knowledge of relevant facts in the damages phase; it is another to drag into these proceedings Mr Bloom.

“Ms Hudson’s family should be off-limits.

“The ulterior motive of the subpoena to Mr Bloom is self-evident: Westcott wants to continue turning the case into a media circus, either out of personal animus toward Ms Hudson and her family, or in a misguided effort to leverage an unfair settlement.”

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Carl Westcott with his grandson Cruise Westcott and grand daughter Hilton Westcott when he was in better health

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Carl Westcott gets a big hug from his grandson Cruise WestcottCredit: Supplied by the Westcott Family

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Carl Westcott later became a veteran of the US Army and founder of 1-800 FlowersCredit: Supplied by the Westcott Family