Dolly Parton’s nephew has been ordered to stay away from employees and properties of her estate, US media reported, after the manager for the late country music legend alleged an “escalating campaign of threats” to extort money from the vast enterprise.
Chancellor I’Ashea L. Myles of Nashville Chancery Court issued the temporary restraining order Wednesday, citing emails and other communications between the pair which involved “threats with demands for payment,” Rolling Stone magazine reported.
Parton’s longtime manager Danny Nozell requested the restraining order, accusing the artist’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, of attempting to extort money from the estate, which includes an amusement park, a hotel and a soon-to-be-opened museum.
Myles ordered Seaver to stay at least 1,000 feet (300 meters) from estate employees and business partners, remain off private property owned by the estate, and refrain from disruptive or harassing conduct, Rolling Stone reported, citing the ruling.
Seaver’s statements were significant “not merely because of their language in isolation, but also because they were made in conjunction with statements threatening specific individuals and business interests associated with Ms. Parton’s professional property and estate,” Myles wrote.
Myles has scheduled a hearing for October 7, according to the Davidson County Chancery Court website.
Seaver, who broke the news of the singer’s death last month in an emotional video, had provided security for Parton for years but was abruptly fired last week, TMZ reported.
That caused Seaver to criticize Nozell, with the outlet quoting Seaver as saying he was “dismayed by the unexpected and, so far, unexplained actions.”
Court papers filed Tuesday allege that Seaver sent threats including a text message warning he would become “the hand of retribution for my entire family,” The New York Times reported.
The paper said the request for a restraining order was filed in Nashville — Parton’s longtime home — by She’s Alive, the organization run by Nozell that manages her business empire.
In a message sent to The New York Times, Seaver, who describes himself as a military contractor and international arms dealer, said he was carrying out his own probe into how his aunt’s affairs were being managed at the time of her death.
Parton died last month aged 80, sparking mourning around the world for the singer who rose from grinding poverty to become a rhinestone-studded icon with hits like “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You.”
She also starred in Hollywood films and donated millions to charities. Her business empire is worth hundreds of millions of dollars and includes her popular Dollywood theme park, cosmetics, pet apparel, baking mixes and even a truck stop.
The Dollywood theme park in Tennessee attracts around four million visitors a year and employs 4,000 people.
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