Katy Perry Is Suing the Veteran Who Sold Her His Montecito Mansion for $6 Million

Katy Perry and her fiancé, actor Orlando Bloom, are pursuing $6 million in damages from Carl Westcott, 85, an entrepreneur and veteran who suffers from Huntington’s disease, over a prolonged dispute surrounding Perry’s purchase of his Montecito, California estate. In July 2020, Perry’s business manager secured a deal to buy the property for $15 million. Days after signing, Westcott attempted to rescind the sale, claiming he had not been mentally sound due to post-surgical medication and his neurological condition. Perry’s side pushed back, arguing Westcott had been fully capable of making the decision and changed his mind only after failing to find another suitable property. After years of litigation, a judge ruled in Perry’s favor in December 2023, upholding the original contract. Perry officially took possession in May 2024.

The Damages Claim

Perry is now seeking $6 million, citing lost rental income, water damage, fallen trees, and maintenance expenses she says brought the property below expected condition. Her legal team has reportedly retained 25 experts to document the issues. Perry’s team argues the home she paid $9 million for - after Westcott’s counterclaims reduced the agreed price - was not in the condition expected when the deal was struck.

Westcott’s son, Chart Westcott, called the lawsuit “heartless,” telling the Wall Street Journal that Perry was pursuing a man who had been confined to his bed for over 18 months. “She has no sense of fair play, no empathy, zero empathy, quite the opposite,” he said, according to The Sun. Westcott’s legal team also subpoenaed Orlando Bloom, alleging he was actively involved in managing the home and should testify at trial.

Prior Legal History

This is not Perry’s first real estate dispute. In 2015, she entered a lengthy legal battle with a group of Los Angeles nuns over a historic convent. A judge ultimately ruled she could purchase the property, though she later withdrew from the sale after complications arose. That earlier case prompted a proposed but ultimately failed legislative measure - informally called the PERRY Act - intended to protect elderly homeowners in high-value real estate transactions.

References: Katy Perry Splashes $13M on $22M California Mansion | Inside Katy Perry’s Wild Legal Real Estate Woes-From Battles With Nuns to Bitter Fight Over a Montecito Estate | Katy Perry Slammed as ‘Unforgivable’ by Family of Disabled Veteran, 85, She’s Suing for $6M in California Mansion War | Katy Perry branded ‘unforgivable’ by family of veteran, 85, she ousted from $15m home