Katy Perry Wins Legal Battle Over Luxury Home Versus Disabled Veteran, Judge Reduces Settlement Figures

Katy Perry's long-running property dispute with disabled veteran and businessman Carl Westcott has reached a decisive point, with a Los Angeles judge ruling in the pop star's favor and awarding her nearly $2 million in damages.

The conflict stemmed from Perry's 2020 purchase of a $15 million Montecito estate from Westcott, the founder of 1-800-Flowers. The sale unraveled almost immediately when Westcott attempted to withdraw from the agreement, saying he had been impaired by pain medication at the time of signing.

Judge Found No Evidence of Incapacity

Years of litigation followed, but the court ultimately rejected Westcott's argument. In a ruling issued in May 2024, the judge concluded Westcott offered "no persuasive evidence that he lacked capacity to enter into a real estate contract" and determined he had been of sound mind when the deal was executed.

Newly filed court documents reviewed by People state that Perry is owed $1,842,142.84. That figure reflects the difference between the home's rental value during the delayed closing period, more than $2.7 million, and offsets such as retained capital and lost interest on Westcott's side.

The court also cut down Perry's request for repair expenses. Although she sought more than $1.3 million in reimbursement, the judge approved $259,581.84, a number Westcott himself had previously proposed.

Payment Structure and Next Steps

The ruling also clarified how the original purchase funds were handled. The​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ court noted that Perry's business manager, Bernie Gudvi, was the one who had initially wired the $9 million to Westcott and kept $6 million for himself. Gudvi is now expected to subtract roughly $1.8 million from that portion in accordance with the updated judgment.

A hearing allowing Westcott and his team to contest the decision has been scheduled for Dec. 30.

The outcome, while favorable to Perry, did not match the total she recently asked the court to award. Days before the ruling, her attorneys claimed she was owed $4,718,698.95, arguing she had suffered years of lost rental value, $3,525,000 by their estimate, and should be reimbursed for more than $1.3 million in property repairs.

Westcott's legal team countered that Perry should pay him additional funds, per Radar Online, insisting she still owes $6 million on the original sale price. In filings submitted Nov. 7, his attorneys argued that only $9 million of the $15 million agreement had been delivered. They said Westcott would accept a reduction for repair expenses, lowering his request to $5,740,418.18.

Tags

Katy Perry, Legal, Princess Love