Richard Simmons' Family In Bitter Feud With His 'Greedy' Housekeeper Over Family Estate
Richard Simmons' family is caught in a fight with his housekeeper who alleges that she stopped being a co-trustee of the estate due to familial pressure.
Teresa Reveles, who served as Simmons' housekeeper for many years, claims she was pressured into stepping down from her role as co-trustee of the fitness coach's estate following his death on July 13.
According to Reveles, Simmons' brother Leonard, nickname Lenny, and his wife, Cathy, misled her into relinquishing the position during a time when she was grieving. She alleges she was confused by the documents presented to her and was not adequately informed about the decision she was making.
According to the 'Daily Mail,' the Simmons family issued a statement accusing Reveles of acting out of "greed," expressing disappointment in her actions.
"Richard's message was always one of joy and positivity," the statement read. "He would be heartbroken to learn of Teresa's greed and insulted that she would diminish their three decades of supposed friendship in such a public way."
The family asserts that Simmons made sure Reveles was "well taken care of" in his will and claims that she had "made an informed decision to decline to serve as co-trustee." They also stressed that her status as a beneficiary remains intact. They deny all allegations made in her petition, calling them "completely and demonstrably false."
Furthermore, the Simmons family alleges that Reveles — despite owning her own home, continues to reside in Simmons' house and has tried to bill the estate for her personal living expenses. They reportedly rejected her request to be reinstated as co-trustee, arguing, "Co-trustees must work together in the best interests of the estate, and Teresa has shown by her actions that she does not share those interests."
Reveles has since requested a court order to prevent Leonard Simmons from selling any of his sibling's possessions or exploiting his image for commercial purposes until the legal matter is resolved.
Simmons' death was attributed to blunt traumatic injuries resulting from a fall on his 76th birthday, with heart disease contributing. Reveles discovered him the following morning and had previously urged him to seek medical attention, which he declined. The TV personality died one day after his birthday.
He was 76.
