EXCLUSIVE: Katy Perry Slammed by Son of Ailing Veteran in Montecito Mansion Case—as Judge Awards Her $1.9 Million After 5-Year Battle

Pop star Katy Perry has been accused of showing "poor taste and humanity" in her yearslong legal battle against an ailing veteran whose Montecito, CA, mansion she purchased in 2020—as her bitter courtroom drama with the businessman nears its end.

Court records show that Perry, 41, has been awarded $1.94 million in the case, less than half the $4.72 million she had initially requested from the home's former owner, Carl Westcott.

Speaking to Realtor.com® after the judgment was made public, Westcott's son, Chart Westcott, thanked the court for rejecting Perry's "most egregious claims for damages," while hitting out at the pop star for "her relentless pursuit of [his] dying father.

"We respect the court and the process, and are pleased that Katy Perry’s most egregious claims for damages were rejected," he said, before hinting that his family is weighing further options in terms of an appeal.

"Nevertheless, we fundamentally disagree with key aspects of the decision. We are carefully evaluating our options going forward.

"It is in poor taste and humanity that Katy Perry continues her relentless pursuit of my dying father all over money and a house she will never live in."

The legal battle between Perry and the elder Westcott began in 2020, when she and her former fiancé, Orlando Bloom, 48, purchased the former businessman's property through their business manager, Bernie Gudvi, for $15 million in 2020—only for the homeowner to back out just days later, claiming he had been under the influence of painkillers when he agreed to the sale.

The "Firework" singer and Westcott would then spend four years locked in a bitter legal battle over the property, before a judge granted ownership to Perry and Bloom in December 2023. They officially took control of the dwelling in May 2024.

Yet, the legal saga continued when both sides launched claims for damages. Perry pursued Westcott—who has Huntington's disease—for millions of dollars, alleging that she had lost "$3,525,000 in rental value," while also calling for Westcott to pay "$1,343,401.95 for necessary repairs" to the property.

In his statement of decision, Judge Joseph Lipner determined that Perry is owed $2.8 million in lost rental income between 2020 and 2024, when she was officially awarded ownership of the home, as well as $259,581 to cover the cost of repairs.

"There is no reason to believe that this unique and attractive property would not rent for all 43 months," Lipner wrote in his decision.

A sum of $966,796 in retained capital on Perry's side was then subtracted from that number, as well as $149,703 that Westcott lost in interest, bringing the total amount awarded to the singer and her manager to $1,938,082.84.

That money will not actually be paid to Perry or Gudvi, but rather subtracted from the $6 million that they still owe Westcott for the purchase of his $15 million home, having thus far handed over only $9 million. They will now have to pay just over $4 million to Westcott to finalize the sale.

In a statement given to Realtor.com, Westcott's lawyer, Andrew J. Thomas, accused Perry of continuing the legal fight to "get out of paying the remaining $6 million" owed to his client, while echoing Chart's suggestion that they could appeal the decision.

"The contract for the house had a $15 million price and even after the Westcott family sold the house in 2024 in exchange for her paying $9 million of the price, Katy Perry propelled last two years of this lawsuit trying to get out of paying the remaining $6 million still owed to Westcott," he said.

"We are glad the court ruled that the Westcott family is entitled to receive most of the remaining $6 million still owed to them. Katy Perry only received approximately 35% of the amount she was seeking in her opening Trial Brief. The Westcott family can still appeal to seek complete justice."

A spokesperson for Perry did not immediately return a request for comment.

Lipner's latest ruling heralds the end of a tumultuous and bitter legal battle between Perry and Westcott, which has been raging since the sale was agreed upon more than five years ago.

At the time, Westcott attempted to back out of the sale of his home, stating that he was of "unsound mind" because of a medical procedure he had recently undergone.

"The combination of his age, frailty from his back condition and recent surgery, and the opiates he was taking several times a day rendered Mr. Westcott of unsound mind," Westcott's lawyers stated in court documents.

However, Perry's representatives argued that Westcott had been of sound mind when he agreed to the deal and that he wanted to back out only because he hadn't been able to find an alternative Montecito property to his liking or budget.

The first round of the yearslong legal battle was finally resolved in December 2023, when a judge ruled in Perry's favor and ordered that the original sale contract be upheld.

Perry officially took possession of the home in May 2024. The sprawling 1930s-era, 9,285-square-foot compound sits among the Santa Ynez foothills and has eight bedrooms, 7.5 bathrooms, a tennis court, two guesthouses, and a pool.

However, the battle did not stop there. Soon after that judgment, Perry moved to file a lawsuit against Westcott for $6 million in damages—a decision that was slammed by his family, who have accused her of having "zero empathy."

Sensationally, during an August court hearing at which she appeared on Zoom, despite her active involvement in the legal case, Perry confirmed that she is not actually the owner of the Montecito property, which was purchased by her former fiancé, Bloom.

In her 55-minute testimony, which was frequently interrupted by objections from her lawyer, Perry confirmed a courtroom revelation from her business partner that it was Bloom who held the title to the Santa Barbara County property through the limited liability company DDoveB, named after the former couple's daughter.

Perry and Bloom had ended their six-year engagement one month before the hearing took place. However, the "California Gurls" singer said during her testimony that the actor and their shared daughter are her "family for life."

Perry admitted that she contributed no funds when Bloom's LLC purchased the house in 2024 and that her role in the home's remodeling was limited to being a "partner and adviser."

The celebrity witness elaborated further on her participation in the renovation, saying that she saw "pictures and videos" of the work being done but took no active part in it.

However, when she was asked who would be responsible for paying Westcott the remaining $6 million owed on the price of the house, Perry said that it was likely she and Bloom would pay together.

"Are you two somehow partners in the property?" Thomas asked, prompting Perry to respond: "We're family for life."

Perry has not revealed whether she or Bloom ever actually lived in the Montecito residence, which they originally purchased as a family home in which to raise their daughter, Daisy Dove, 5.

The former couple own another opulent mansion in the same neighborhood, which they bought for $14.2 million soon after Westcott attempted to back out of the sale of his home.

That property—which records indicate is registered in Perry's name alone—has been undergoing significant renovations over the past five years.

It is unclear whether Bloom played any role in the lawsuit against Westcott. However, the actor has largely attempted to remain out of the fray as far as the legal battle is concerned.