The events following Richard Simmons’ death in July have uncovered a bitter feud between his family and his housekeeper, Teresa Reveles, who was also his friend of 36 years. Teresa accused the late fitness guru’s siblings of pressuring her to drop her co-trustee position in a scheme to gain control.
Teresa is now fighting to be reinstated, claiming that his family, particularly his brother Leonard Simmons, took advantage of her vulnerability. She revealed that Richards wished for her to take charge of his trust should he die first, although he made her co-trustee alongside his brother.
Richard Simmons’ housekeeper battles it out in court
Court documents reportedly state that Teresa asked for a temporary suspension of Leonard’s sole trustee role, as she moves to prevent him from selling off Richard’s property and exploiting his legacy via a documentary. She accused her rival of partnering with Richard’s former manager Michael Catalano to executive his greedy plans.
Teresa noted that Catalano exploited Richard in his lifetime, leading to their estrangement in 2021. The late star allegedly swore that he would rather die than work on another project with the fraudulent manager after he was presented with a documentary idea.
Richard Simmons’ brother moves to give away his property
More updates revealed that Leonardo, or Lenny, gave the keys to Richard’s New Orleans home to Catalano, who then showed up with a film crew. Lenny is also being accused of collaborating with a real estate agent to sell some properties while making plans to dispose of his personal effects, including his treasured memorabilia and collectables.
Lenny has responded to Teresa’s accusations via a statement, noting that he is trying to protect and maintain his late brother’s legacy. He denied the housekeeper’s claims that Richards and Catalano were estranged, as he commended the supposed manager for his dedication to the deceased. Lenny added that he is being forced against his will to go public about family matters.