Following the sudden death of celebrity fitness icon Richard Simmons on July 13, a dispute over his estate has emerged between his brother, Leonard “Lenny” Simmons, and longtime house manager Teresa Reveles.
Reveles alleges that Lenny and his wife, Cathy, pushed her out of her co-trustee role and seeks reinstatement. The couple, in turn, claims that “Teresa’s greed” is jeopardizing Richard’s remarkable legacy.
Richard Simmons, a beloved fitness personality, passed away in July, with his death ruled accidental due to complications from falls
What Transpired?
Court documents obtained by Yahoo Entertainment indicate that on September 25, Reveles submitted a petition to the Los Angeles Superior Court, requesting to be reinstated as co-trustee of Richard’s estate.
In her filing, Reveles states that she was Richard’s closest friend and live-in companion for nearly 36 years, and she was appointed co-trustee alongside Lenny. After Richard passed away due to complications from falls, she asserts that Lenny and his wife devised a “nefarious scheme” to gain “sole control” over the trust.
According to Reveles, the day after discovering Richard’s body, Lenny and Cathy, who had not visited him in over six years, arrived in Los Angeles and insisted on discussing legal matters immediately. She described herself as “distraught” and postponed the meeting until July 18.
On the day of the meeting, Reveles claims Lenny cautioned her that the responsibilities of a trustee were crucial and involved extensive paperwork for attorneys. He warned that if she made any errors, she might forfeit part of her inheritance as a beneficiary of the estate.
In her “fragile emotional state,” having just attended a viewing of Richard’s body, she signed documents that removed her as co-trustee, unaware that this would strip her of decision-making powers.
Reveles contends she was “coerced and fraudulently induced to sign.” She claims she was not provided with a copy of the trust, did not have legal representation, and that English is not her first language. As a result, she is seeking reinstatement as co-trustee and wants to block Lenny from profiting off Richard’s image and likeness until her request is resolved.
Her attorney has not yet responded to requests for further comments on the filing.
What is Lenny’s Response?
Tom Estey, a spokesperson for the Simmons family, issued a statement to Yahoo, describing Reveles’s claims as “demonstrably false.”
“Richard always promoted a message of joy and positivity. He would be heartbroken to hear of Teresa’s greed and insulted that she would publicly diminish their three decades of friendship,” the statement reads. “Her actions jeopardize Richard’s incredible legacy, which we are diligently working to preserve.”
The statement continued by asserting that “Richard took impeccable care of Teresa, ensuring she would be well taken care of after his passing. She is a major beneficiary of his will and made an informed decision to decline the co-trustee role, which does not affect her beneficiary status.”
Estey criticized Reveles for remaining in Richard’s home two months after his death, despite having her own residence, accusing her of trying to charge the estate for her living expenses. He also claimed she pitched a Netflix documentary about Richard that could be “hurtful” to his legacy.
The statement concluded with confidence that when the court reviews the facts already provided to Reveles’s attorney, the petition will be denied.
A hearing is scheduled for December 4 at 8:30 a.m. at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in Los Angeles.
What details are available regarding Richard’s death?
The beloved television personality had become increasingly reclusive in his later years, which fueled speculation about his well-being on various podcasts and social media, including the 2017 podcast “Missing Richard Simmons.”
He collapsed in his home on July 11 and remained in bed the following day. On July 13, Reveles found him unresponsive on the bedroom floor, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death to be blunt traumatic injuries, as stated in a press release on August 22. The manner of death was classified as accidental.
Contributing to his death was arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, characterized by hardened and narrowed arteries. The medical report noted that prescription medications in his system did “not appear to have contributed to the cause of death.”
After Richard’s passing, Lenny praised Reveles in an interview with People magazine, calling her “extremely loyal and trustworthy,” and emphasizing that she loved his brother, who loved her in return. “We are blessed to have Teresa in our lives,” he added.
