Katy Perry has explained her reasons for countersuing an elderly man in a recent legal battle.
Back in 2020, Perry and her then-fiancé Orlando Bloom acquired a residence in Santa Barbara, California, for $15 million.
The property was originally owned by Carl Westcott, and it was Perry’s business manager, Bernie Gudvi, who facilitated the transaction on her behalf.
After the transaction was completed, Westcott regretted his decision to sell and claimed he wasn’t of ‘sound mind’ at the time of the agreement.
Westcott suffers from Huntington’s Disease, a condition described by Mayo Clinic as one that “causes nerve cells in the brain to decay over time.”
The Mayo Clinic also notes: “The disease affects a person’s movements, thinking ability and mental health.”
Additionally, it is reported that Westcott underwent surgery shortly before he received the contract to sell his property and was on ‘multiple opiate medications’ when he signed it, according to court documents.
The legal filing argues: “The contract that [Westcott] signed to sell his home is therefore void or voidable.”
Neither Perry nor Bloom were initially named in the lawsuit, with Bernie Gudvi listed as the primary defendant.
Despite Westcott’s hopes to reclaim his property, a judge ruled in favor of Perry and Bloom last year, officially transferring the deed to them.
Perry has now countersued Westcott and gave her testimony via Zoom on August 26.
When questioned during her testimony about what she sought to gain from the litigation, Perry responded, “Justice.” Westcott’s lawyer, Andrew J. Thomas, then asked, as reported by PEOPLE, “How about money?”
Perry replied, “I stand to lose money if it doesn’t work in my favor.”
Discussing her financial involvement in the lawsuit, Perry elaborated: “My financial stake could be lost money, lawyers fees, lost rental income: all of the above.”
It is alleged that Westcott has only received $9,000,000 of the $15,000,000 purchase price, prompting Thomas to inquire who would cover the remaining balance.
Perry answered, “It could be a combination of Orlando and I,” adding, “We are family for life.”
Perry and Bloom, who share a five-year-old daughter named Daisy, recently ended their engagement after nearly a decade together.
Addressing rumors of their split, the duo released a joint statement through their representative: “Orlando and Katy have been shifting their relationship over the past many months to focus on coparenting.
“They will continue to be seen together as a family, as their shared priority is — and always will be — raising their daughter with love, stability and mutual respect.”