Friends and family of Richard Simmons are fighting for control of the fitness guru’s estate, months afterhe died of injuries from an accidental fall at his home in July.
A legal battle for control of Simmons’ trust began just days after Simmons’ death, according to court documents obtained by NBC News, and now his housekeeper and friend of 36 years, Teresa Reveles, is fighting to be renamed as a co-trustee, saying it was Simmons’ wish for her to administer his trust should he die before her.
Attorneys for Reveles argued in a petition filed on Sept. 25 that she was “the unsuspecting victim of a nefarious scheme” in which she was pressured by members of Simmons’ family to decline to serve as a co-trustee in the days after his death.
“Sadly, on July 13, 2024, Teresa discovered Richard’s lifeless body on his bedroom floor and was understandably distraught,” the petition stated. “To make matters even worse, Teresa then became the unsuspecting victim of a nefarious scheme to wrest control over Richard’s Trust.”
Simmons’ cause of death was due to “sequelae of blunt traumatic injuries” from a “ground level fall,” according to afull investigation report by the Los Angeles Medical Examiner obtained by NBC News.
Sequelae means after-effects, and the report stated that a significant condition to his death was arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, or when the blood vessels carrying oxygen away from the heart become damaged,according to Penn Medicine.
Reveles and members of family visited the funeral home for an open casket viewing of his body on July 18, according to the petition. She had previously told Simmons’ family members involved in the trust that they should wait until after he was laid to rest before speaking with any attorneys, the petition stated.
But “immediately after” the viewing, Simmons’ brother Leonard Simmons and his wife Cathy Simmons took Reveles to a meeting at a law firm to discuss Simmons’ financial affairs, according to the petition.
During the meeting, attorneys for Reveles, who was noted as a co-trustee and beneficiary of Richards’ estate, said she signed away her role as co-trustee when she was in a “vulnerable emotional state” and “did not understand the consequences,” as she had no legal representation and English is not her first language.
Attorneys for Reveles accused Leonard Simmons of using false statements and intimidation to coerce and “fraudulently” induce her into signing a document declining to serve as a co-trustee at the meeting.
Simmons was buried on July 19, and within days Leonard Simmons “exerted exclusive control over the administration of Richard’s assets and made clear Theresa would have no role in the decision-making process,” states the petition.
On July 26, an attorney for Reveles wrote a letter to a lawyer for Leonard Simmons stating her “intent to serve as a successor co-trustee,” according to the petition.
After several letters back and forth in August and September, attorneys for Reveles wrote Simmons’ trust has refused to acknowledge her as a co-trustee and “continues to refuse to provide any non-confidential explanation for this decision.”
Reveles’ attorneys asked a judge to appoint her as a co-trustee of Simmons’ trust, and requested for Leonard Simmons to be prevented from selling any of Richard Simmons’ personal possessions, as well as selling or licensing Richard Simmons’ name and likeness until she is re-appointed as a co-trustee.
Michael B. Garfinkel, an attorney for Reveles, said in a Sept. 26 statement to NBC News: “Teresa’s petition speaks for itself. Teresa is seeking to carry out Richard’s wishes.”
Tom Estey, a spokesperson for the Simmons family, issued a lengthy statement to TODAY.com responding to Reveles’ petition.
“Richard’s message was always one of joy and positivity. 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. Her actions threaten to harm Richard’s incredible legacy, which we are working hard to preserve,” Estey’s statement began.
Reveles is a “significant beneficiary” of Richard Simmons’ will, Estey said in the statement.
“She made an informed decision to decline to serve as co-trustee of the estate, which does not affect her status as a beneficiary at all,” he said. “The allegations in the petition are completely and demonstrably false, and we have informed her counsel of those facts. Teresa’s request to be reinstated as co-trustee was declined because 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.”
Estey said in the statement that Reveles is still living in Richard Simmons’ house, and that she has attempted to charge the estate for her living expenses.
He added the family also learned of a documentary that has been pitched to Netflix “that identifies Teresa as the principal source and contributor and that we believe will be hurtful to Richard’s legacy.”
“Unfortunately, it appears that Teresa intends to waste the assets of the estate, which otherwise would go to the beneficiaries, to pursue meritless and pointless litigation. When the court is apprised of the facts that already have been given to Teresa’s attorney, we are confident that the court will deny the petition,” Estey’s statement concluded.
