Richard Simmons‘ longtime home supervisor and pal has filed a petition in opposition to the late health guru’s brother, claiming she was pressured into giving up her function as co-trustee of Simmons’ property throughout a time of utmost stress.
Teresa Reveles lived and labored with Simmons for 35 years beginning in 1987 till his sudden dying on the age of 76 in July.
On Wednesday, Sept. 25, Reveles filed a petition alleging that Richard’s brother Leonard (Lenny) Simmons and his spouse Cathy Simmons requested that she signal paperwork stripping her of her function as co-trustee of Richard’s property simply days after his July 13 dying whereas she was “understandably distraught.”
TMZ was first to report the information.
“For almost thirty-six (36) years, Teresa lived with Richard, cared for him, and was his closest pal and devoted confidant. Not surprisingly, Richard named Teresa as certainly one of his successor Trustees of his Belief, wanting and anticipating that she can be answerable for administering his Belief ought to he predecease her,” the petition, obtained by PEOPLE, reads.
The petition states that it was after “an open casket viewing of Richard’s physique” that Lenny and Cathy “instantly” took her “on to a gathering … to debate Richard’s monetary affairs,” regardless of Reveles asking for time to course of the state of affairs.
Reveles claims she didn’t perceive what she was signing on the time — English will not be her first language — however did so anyway out of worry that she might lose her rights to Richard’s inheritance as she was a beneficiary, and refers to Lenny’s actions as a “nefarious scheme.”
Moreover, she alleges she was by no means given the chance to talk together with her personal authorized counsel earlier than signing the paperwork.
Reveles has now retained a lawyer, and is within the technique of attempting to revive her title as co-trustee per Richard’s needs, however her legal professional claims that the regulation agency dealing with the belief has not responded to their requests.
She additionally claims that the siblings “had not seen one another in particular person for greater than six years previous to Richard’s dying.”
Till the matter is resolved, Reveles is asking a court docket to ban Lenny from cashing in on Richard’s picture and likeness.
PEOPLE reached out to Lenny Simmons for remark.
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The health guru fell on July 11, and spent the following day in mattress earlier than he was later discovered unresponsive by Reveles.
His official cause of death was the results of blunt traumatic accidents, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Workplace through a press release on Aug. 22. The style of dying was dominated as an accident.
“After I noticed him, he appeared peaceable,” Reveles completely informed PEOPLE in July of discovering Richard in his bed room along with his fingers balled into fists. “That’s why I do know it was a coronary heart assault. I had a coronary heart assault just a few years in the past, and my fingers did the identical.”
“He died joyful,” she mentioned.
Lenny additionally beforehand spoke of his brother’s relationship with Reveles.
“Teresa was extraordinarily loyal and reliable,” he informed PEOPLE completely. “She beloved my brother, and he beloved her. We’re blessed to have Teresa in our lives.”