Pop superstar Katy Perry has been awarded nearly $2 million in damages following a lengthy legal dispute with disabled veteran Carl Westcott over a luxury Montecito property she purchased from him five years ago.
The Court's Decision
Judge Joseph Lipner of the Superior Court of the State of California in Los Angeles County ruled that the Roar singer is owed $1,842,142.84 in compensation. This amount was calculated by deducting the value of retained capital, which exceeded $1 million, along with Westcott's lost interest of nearly $150,000, from the rental value the property accumulated during the delayed closing period, which totalled over $2.7 million.
Additionally, the judge reduced the repair costs Perry had requested to $259,581.84 - a figure that Westcott himself had previously suggested. The court documents revealed that Perry's business manager Bernie Gudvi paid Westcott $9 million for the $15 million property purchase, retaining $6 million of the purchase price.
Background of the Legal Battle
The property dispute dates back to 2020 when the 41-year-old singer purchased the eight-bedroom, eleven-bathroom mansion from Westcott, the founder of 1-800-Flowers. Within days of the sale, Westcott attempted to back out of the agreement, claiming he had been incapacitated by painkillers when he signed the paperwork.
This sparked a four-year legal battle over the luxury property located in the exclusive Montecito community, which counts Meghan Markle and Oprah Winfrey among its residents. In May 2024, Judge Lipner ruled in Perry's favour, finding that Westcott was of sound mind and presented "no persuasive evidence that he lacked capacity to enter into a real estate contract."
Financial Claims and Counterclaims
Perry had initially sought $4,718,698.95 in damages, claiming Westcott was accountable for lost rental income and necessary repairs to the mansion. Her legal team argued she was entitled to $3,525,000 in rental value lost due to the extended legal battle and $1,343,401.95 for repairs.
Westcott's legal team countered that Perry actually owed their client money, claiming she had only paid $9 million of the agreed $15 million purchase price. They argued Perry owed Westcott $6 million, though they expressed willingness to deduct repair costs to reduce the amount to $5,740,418.18.
According to the recent ruling, Gudvi can now subtract the $1.8 million award from the remaining $6 million balance. A hearing where Westcott can challenge the judgement has been scheduled for December 30.
The case gained additional attention when Perry testified via Zoom in August, stating she stood to "lose money if it does not work in my favour" when questioned about her potential gains from the litigation outcome.
