Who is Carl Westcott? Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom entangled in legal battle with veteran over purchase of $15M Santa Barbara home
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA: Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom have been entangled in a legal dispute spanning three years, centered around a $15 million Santa Barbara property, and an 83-year-old veteran named Carl Westcott. Reportedly, DailyMail has brought to light the intricate details of the case, revealing that the conflict stems from a real estate contract signed in July 2020.
At that time, Carl Westcott, then 83 years old and grappling with the effects of opioids and painkillers due to significant back surgery, entered into an agreement to sell his home to Katy Perry. However, once the effects of the medication subsided, Westcott, who was also dealing with the challenges of Huntington"s Disease, realized the implications of his decision and promptly revoked the contract.
Who is Carl Westcott?
According to The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Carl Westcott was born in 1939 at the charity hospital in Vicksburg, Mississippi. He is a US Army 101st Airborne veteran and has gained recognition for his thriving entrepreneurial ventures, notably with 1-800-Flowers.
However, despite Westcott’s efforts to nullify the agreement, the agents representing Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom dismissed his plea and issued threats of legal action if he failed to proceed with the sale of the expansive eight-bedroom, 11-bathroom property. Now, three years after the initial dispute arose, the case is scheduled for trial later this month.
At the time of the contentious sale, Westcott was 80 years old and had been battling Huntington's Disease since 2015. This rare and debilitating ailment targets parts of the brain responsible for voluntary movement, often manifesting with symptoms like dementia.
Reportedly, Westcott’s formal complaint outlined that he had not listed the property for sale nor engaged with any broker to market the 9,285-square-foot home. He had recently acquired the residence in May 2020 and moved in with Katy Perry just two months before the transaction. His intention was to establish it as his primary residence for the remainder of his life.
Carl Westcott was not of sound mind after the procedure
The backdrop of major back surgery adds a layer of complexity to the situation. On July 11, 2020, Westcott was discharged from the hospital following an extensive six-hour surgical procedure, further emphasizing the challenges he faced during the critical period surrounding the property transaction.
"Upon discharge from the hospital, Mr Westcott was prescribed at least two opiates in pill form that he was to continue taking for pain, which he took as prescribed several times each day," the complaint reveals. "The combination of his age, frailty from his back condition and recent surgery, and the opiates he was taking several times a day rendered Mr Westcott of unsound mind."
Following the initial signing of the offer, a sequence of events unfolded that further underscored the complexity of the situation. Bernie Gudvi, who represented Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom, presented Carl Westcott with a written offer on July 14, which exceeded the amount he had originally paid for the property on May 29, 2020.
The subsequent day, Westcott signed the prepared document, a move that his legal team contends was made while he was "unable to understand the nature and probable consequences of his actions."
Carl Westcott showed no further desire to sell his home
As time passed, Westcott"s mental clarity began to return, and he became acutely aware of the significance of his signature on the sale agreement. A few days later, on July 22, he composed an email directed at Berkshire Hathaway, the dual agent facilitating the transaction between the seller and the buyer (Perry and Bloom).
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In the email, Westcott communicated his unequivocal desire not to proceed with the sale of his home. He candidly disclosed the influence of pain medication and expressed his current circumstances, stating that he was in the "final years of his life" and hence unable to sell his home.
In response to Westcott"s email, he received a communication from the brokerage firm, outlining that Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom were resolute in their intention to acquire his property. The correspondence informed Westcott that he was obligated to fulfill the sale agreement, a stance that compounded the legal complexity of the matter.