The Truth Behind Claims That Katy Perry Is Suing a Terminally Ill 85-Year-Old Veteran for $5 Million

Katy Perry is back in court drama, and it is not a cute look. Years after that headline-making fight with nuns over a Los Angeles convent, she just won money in another messy real-estate case — this time against an 85-year-old veteran who says he was in no condition to sell when he signed. The facts are complicated, the optics are rough, and the online takes are all over the place.

The short version, clean and clear

• July 2020: Perry and then-partner Orlando Bloom signed a deal to buy an 8-bedroom estate from Carl Westcott, a former Army serviceman. The couple told him they wanted a home to raise their baby.
• Days later: Westcott tried to undo the sale, saying he lacked capacity when he signed because he was on strong pain meds following back surgery. Perry’s side has claimed he also had a backup offer from Maria Shriver.
• 2023: A judge ruled for Perry, finding Westcott did not provide convincing evidence that he lacked capacity at the time of the sale.
• After that ruling: Perry countersued for money she says she lost while the deal was stuck in court — $3.25 million in missed leasing income, $2.2 million for repairs, and $3 million in legal fees.
• Westcott’s health: According to his family, he has Huntington’s disease, has been bedridden for almost two years, and is now getting 24/7 hospice care.
• Perry’s ask: She later sought $5 million in damages tied to the drawn-out litigation.
• Where it landed: PEOPLE reports the court awarded her a little over $1.8 million, not the full $5 million. Perry and Bloom got access to the house in May 2024.
• One more procedural wrinkle: Rolling Stone says the $1.8 million stands unless either side files a viable objection within 10 days.

Why this got so heated

Real-estate-law fights don’t usually go viral, but this one is loaded: a pop superstar, an elderly veteran, pain meds, capacity questions, big money, and a very public family. Also, that Maria Shriver backup-offer detail is one of those behind-the-scenes tidbits that changes how you look at the deal.

What Westcott’s family is saying

Westcott’s sons did not hold back after Perry testified. Chart Westcott called her the Wicked Witch of the West. Court Westcott said her answers sounded calculated and ingratiating — basically, he did not buy it. Before the damages ruling came down, Court said he felt really good about their position and called it a blessing to defend his father, who he says is on his deathbed after a brutal five-year slog for their family. Court says their dad has been bedridden for almost two years and is fading fast; Chart says they’re keeping the Perry talk away from him to avoid agitation.

The PR problem Perry can’t ignore

PR strategist Abesi Manyando told the Telegraph that this is not playing well for Perry, regardless of the court outcome. He framed it as the kind of story that sticks emotionally: a wealthy global star versus a very ill, elderly veteran who no longer has the home at the center of the fight.

"The optics of a millionaire pop star demanding hefty damages from a very ill man are terrible."

Manyando’s take is that Perry, whose brand has long been joy, inclusivity, and warmth, is coming across calculated, aggressive, and unempathetic — basically, the exact opposite.

The internet picked sides fast

Plenty of people think Perry looks like the villain here — calling her heartless and telling her to drop it and let the man live out his final days in peace. Others argue she is enforcing a legal contract like anyone else would, and that Westcott is not some powerless underdog: he founded 1-800-Flowers, has long money, and, according to some commenters, was not in this level of medical decline when the sale happened. A few users also claim he refused to move out and only tried to unwind the deal after the market shifted. For what it’s worth, those are social posts, not court findings, but the larger point is clear: the narrative is split depending on which facts people emphasize.

Where it stands now

Perry is set to receive just over $1.8 million unless a valid objection lands in the next 10 days. She and Bloom have had the keys since May 2024.

Legally, this turned into a very technical contract-and-capacity fight. Publicly, it’s the exact kind of high-gloss mess that sticks to a celebrity: the law might be on her side, but the story people retell is the one with an ailing 85-year-old, a mansion, and millions changing hands. Tough look, even if the ruling says she’s right.