Katy Perry has emerged victorious in a drawn-out legal battle over her purchase of a Montecito mansion, with a judge awarding her close to $2 million in damages. The dispute involved a $15 million property deal with Carl Westcott, a disabled veteran, dating back five years.
According to documents obtained by People, Judge Joseph Lipner of the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles County ruled that Perry is entitled to $1,842,142.84. This ruling stems from the lost rental income during a period when the closing of the property was delayed.
The calculation of damages considered multiple financial factors. The judge deducted more than $1 million in retained capital and nearly $150,000 in lost interest for Westcott from the over $2.7 million in rental value the property accrued during the delay.
In addition, the judge adjusted the repair costs Perry initially requested, reducing them to $259,581.84, which aligns with a figure previously suggested by Westcott himself.
The transaction details reveal that Perry’s business manager, Bernie Gudvi, initially paid Westcott $9 million while retaining $6 million from the agreed purchase price. This sparked a legal challenge from Westcott, who argued that Perry owed him the remaining $6 million. However, with the new judgment, Gudvi is now permitted to deduct $1.8 million from that amount.
As the case progresses, Gudvi has been assigned the task of preparing the judgment, and a hearing is scheduled for December 30, which will provide an opportunity to challenge the ruling.
A judge has awarded Katy Perry nearly $2 million in damages in her legal war against disabled veteran Carl Westcott over the $15 million Montecito home she purchased from him five years ago
The legal battle over the home dates back to 2020, when the 41-year-old singer bought the home from 1-800-Flowers founder Westcott – but within days he tried backing out of the deal, claiming he was incapacitated at the time he signed the paperwork due to painkillers
The legal battle over the home dates back to 2020, when the 41-year-old singer bought the home from 1-800-Flowers founder Westcott – but within days he tried backing out of the deal, claiming he was incapacitated at the time he signed the paperwork due to painkillers.
His backtracking sparked a legal battle over the sale of the eight-bedroom, 11-bathroom home in the upscale community that counts Meghan Markle and Oprah Winfrey among its residents.
The judge ruled in Perry’s favor in May 2024, finding that Westcott was of sound mind and presented ‘no persuasive evidence that he lacked capacity to enter into a real estate contract.’
The judge’s ruling comes in response to court documents Perry filed just days earlier.
In documents reviewed by Daily Mail, Perry said Westcott is accountable for lost money in rentals as well as for repairs she needed to make on the mansion.
The I Kissed a Girl songstress asked the court to force Westcott to pay $4,718,698.95 to account for damages she says he caused with extended litigation over the real estate sale.
Westcott initially sued Perry’s business manager Bernie Gudvi the month after the sale went through.
Attorneys for the Roar artist, who bought the home with ex-boyfriend Orlando Bloom, 48, said that she is ‘entitled to $3,525,000 in rental value’ that she lost due to the extended legal battle with Westcott.
Westcott should also pay the Santa Barbara, California native a total of ‘$1,343,401.95 for necessary repairs for a total of $4,868,401.95,’ her attorney said in court documents.
Lawyers for Perry said that after deducting $149,703 for losses Westcott had suffered, the final sum came out to $4,718,698.95.
The judge ruled in Perry’s favor in May 2024, finding that Westcott (pictured with son Chart) was of sound mind and presented ‘no persuasive evidence that he lacked capacity to enter into a real estate contract’
In court documents filed November 21, Perry said Westcott was accountable for lost money in rentals as well as for repairs she needed to make on the mansion, according to legal documents reviewed by Daily Mail
Attorneys for Westcott said that it’s actually Perry that owes money, in terms of the financials involved.
Perry owes Westcott $6 million of the $15 million she agreed to pay for the property, Westcott’s lawyers said.
Westcott’s attorney said in legal docs filed in Los Angeles on November 7 that Perry has only paid $9 million.
Westcott would agree to deduct repair costs to whittle the amount down to $5,740,418.18, his legal team said.
In August, Perry testified via a Zoom stream to Los Angeles Court about her purchase of the property, which is spread over 2.5 acres.
Perry was asked by Westcott lawyer Andrew J. Thomas if she was positioned to ‘gain money or anything else from the outcome of this litigation.’
Judge Joseph Lipner of the Superior Court of the State of California in Los Angeles County has concluded that the Roar singer is owed $1,842,142.84
The singer replied, ‘Yes … justice; I stand to lose money if it does not work in my favor.’
Perry has been romantically-linked with former Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau since her split with Bloom.
The California Gurls vocalist and the politician were first seen in late July dining at the Montreal restaurant Le Violon.
