Pop star Katy Perry is seeking nearly five million dollars in damages from 85 year old Army veteran Carl Westcott, the original owner of a Montecito mansion she purchased in 2020. The long running property dispute has drawn widespread criticism because of Westcott’s age, declining health and military background. The case centers on Perry’s claim that Westcott’s attempt to undo the sale caused her significant financial losses.
The conflict began in July 2020 when Perry and her then partner bought Westcott’s property, an eight bedroom estate valued at around fifteen million dollars. Westcott had recently undergone back surgery and said that he had been heavily medicated at the time he signed the sales contract. He argued that the medication impaired his ability to properly understand the agreement and therefore the sale should be voided. He filed to reverse the transaction almost immediately after signing.
After years of litigation, a judge ruled in late 2023 that Westcott had not provided convincing evidence of mental incapacity at the time of the sale. That decision confirmed Perry as the legal owner of the property. However, the ruling did not end the dispute. Perry then pursued a new claim for damages which she says she incurred during the extended legal battle. Her filing seeks roughly five million dollars for lost rental income, repair and maintenance costs and legal fees that she argues were caused when the mansion could not be used as intended during the lengthy dispute.
Westcott’s legal team has countered by saying Perry still owes him a remaining balance of about six million dollars from the original sale. They argue that she should not be pursuing damages from a man to whom she has not fully paid the agreed price. They also say the veteran’s health has deteriorated significantly during the conflict. Westcott, who has a degenerative neurological condition, is bedridden and now in hospice care. His family has described the legal proceedings as emotionally and physically draining.