She fought and she conquered.
After a years-long legal skirmish with octogenarian entrepreneur and disabled veteran Carl Westcott, pop sensation Katy Perry has finally become the owner of a secluded Montecito estate in California.
Perry, 39, made a subtle tribute to her daughter, Daisy Dove Bloom, by acquiring the Santa Barbara County property through her LLC, DDoveB, on May 17, property records obtained by the Wall Sreet Journal reveal.
This triumph comes just two days before Perry’s swan song as a judge on “American Idol,” wrapping up seven seasons on the hit show.
The “Dark Horse” singer had been embroiled in a fierce four-year struggle to buy the coveted gated estate from Westcott, a mogul in the car dealership and communications businesses.
In the heat of the pandemic’s chaotic real estate frenzy in July 2020, Westcott inked a deal to sell the mansion for $15 million to Perry’s business manager, Bernie Gudvi, acting on her behalf. However, Westcott had second thoughts and tried to back out just days later.
Legal fireworks ensued, with both parties launching lawsuits that put the spotlight on mental capacity and the high stakes in the luxury real estate market.
The courtroom drama culminated in December 2023, when a judge ruled in favor of Perry, upholding the sales contract.
Perry is slated to testify in the trial’s second phase this July, which will determine the damages owed.
So far, Perry has shelled out $9 million for the estate, according to property records. The remaining sum, contingent on the damages determined in court, could bring the total up to $15 million.
Court documents reveal Perry’s team is seeking compensation for lost rental value, deferred maintenance, repairs for water damage and a fallen tree.
Chart Westcott, Carl’s son, in a message to the Journal, accused Perry of “Hollywood hypocrisy and fake empathy,” and labeling her pursuit of damages “heartless,” suggesting the costs would ultimately fall on Westcott’s grandchildren.
The glamorous estate, boasting a pool and two guesthouses, spans over 2 acres and is nestled within towering hedges in the heart of Montecito, a haven for the affluent.
Westcott, who regularly vacationed in Santa Barbara from Dallas, purchased the property in May 2020 for $11.25 million.
Perry swooped in just a few weeks later, outbidding TV journalist Maria Shriver, while she and her partner, actor Orlando Bloom, were expecting their first child.
However, Westcott’s team quickly sought to rescind the deal, arguing that he was mentally incapacitated due to Huntington’s disease and the pain medication he was taking following back surgery.
Perry’s camp contended that Westcott simply had a change of heart after struggling to find a replacement home in the fiercely competitive Montecito market.
As the legal tug-of-war dragged on, Westcott moved into a residential managed-care facility for mental health, according to his family.
It’s still unclear if and when Perry and Bloom plan to move into the estate. The couple welcomed their daughter in August 2020, and Perry bought another Montecito home in October of the same year for $14.2 million.
This second property, perched on 9 acres with ocean views, raises questions about whether she might put it up for sale.
This isn’t Perry’s first time in a prolonged legal battle over real estate. In the mid-2010s, she clashed with a group of Los Angeles nuns who objected to the archdiocese’s sale of their former convent in Los Feliz to her for $14.5 million.
The nuns tried to sell it to another buyer for $15.5 million, sparking a legal showdown. In 2016, a judge ruled in favor of the archdiocese and Perry awarded them $15 million in damages and legal fees.
