Richard Simmons’ Family Denies Co-Trustee Removal Accusation by Housekeeper; ‘Her Actions Threaten to Harm…’

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As a seasoned observer of celebrity estates and their ensuing dramas, I must say that the ongoing saga between Richard Simmons‘ family and his longtime housekeeper Teresa Reveles is as intriguing as it is unfortunate. The allegations of pressure, greed, and public tarnishing of a legacy are not unheard of in such situations, but they certainly make for a compelling narrative.

The world was taken aback by Richard Simmons’ passing on July 13, but what’s even more surprising is the dispute over his estate that has erupted between his family members, particularly his brother, Lenny, and his long-standing household employee, Teresa Reveles.

For those unfamiliar, his housekeeper asserted that she was pushed to relinquish her position as a co-trustee of the deceased fitness guru’s estate. She also stated that Lenny and his wife, Cathy deceived her into giving up this role while she was grieving over Richard’s passing.

On the 25th of September, a Wednesday, she submitted a petition aiming to reclaim her shared trustee position for the deceased person’s estate. In response to this action by the Reveles, the family has issued a statement to People magazine through their spokesperson, Tom Estey.

I’ve always admired Richard for his messages filled with joy and optimism, and it pains me deeply to think he’d feel sorrow upon learning about Teresa’s actions, which appear greedy and hurtful. It’s disheartening that she would tarnish the three decades of friendship we all supposedly shared in such a public manner.

As a devoted admirer, I’m doing my best to safeguard the esteemed legacy of our beloved fitness icon, who I had the honor to follow. Regrettably, certain actions by Reveles pose a risk to this legacy. However, we are tirelessly working to preserve it as he intended. Moreover, the statement clarified that Richard had always treated his housekeeper with great care and consideration, designating her as an essential beneficiary in his will.

It was stated that she chose not to act as a co-trustee for his estate, a decision based on knowledge of the situation, which in no way impacts her status as a beneficiary. In response to the accusations leveled against them, Estey declared that these claims are completely untrue and has communicated this information to their legal team.

Estey added, “The reason Teresa’s proposal to resume her role as joint trustee was turned down is that co-trustees should always act in the estate’s best interests. However, Teresa’s behavior demonstrates a lack of alignment with these interests.

Two months after his death, it’s been alleged that she continues to reside at his home, despite having another house of her own. It’s also said that she has attempted to bill the estate for her living costs. The family discovered a proposed documentary for Netflix, where Reveles is named as the primary source and contributor. They believe this portrayal, which they find “harmful” to Richard’s legacy, would be included in the documentary.

It appears that Reveles intends to squander the estate’s resources, which would otherwise be distributed to the beneficiaries, by pursuing baseless and futile lawsuits. Once the court is made aware of the facts provided to Teresa’s lawyer, we are certain that the court will reject the petition.

In her plea, Reveles asks the court to prevent Richard’s sibling from earning profits off his likeness or image until the matter at hand is settled.

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2024-09-26 16:54