Katy Perry
@katyperry/Instagram

Katy Perry is never really over going after elderly people who cross her path, according to some netizens. The Roar singer is currently at odds with 85-year-old Carl Westcott over a property, and some social media users feel the entire incident is familiar because of Perry's legal battle with the nuns of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary back in 2015.

Katy Perry Called Out For Suing Elderly People

Katy Perry's £3.78 million ($5 million) lawsuit against Carl Westcott, a dying and disabled veteran, over a property she purchased, has been in the news. However, this reminded many of a previous case involving the Firework hitmaker and 89-year-old nun Sister Catherine Rose Holzman, who died during a hearing. Several called out Perry for allegedly going after elderly people.

'Why is she always preying on the elderly? Parasite,' @MannieOwn wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

'So, Katy has a history with going after the elderly. She even caused a nun to croak. Imagine that,' @MisterIneffable added. 'Evil begets evil.'

Some went as far as accusing Perry of killing a nun over a legal dispute. So, they weren't surprised with how far she would take her case against Westcott despite the latter being bedridden due to Huntington's disease, a rare, genetic brain disorder.

However, some netizens also defended Perry on social media. They stressed that it was Westcott's fault for breaking the agreement. Some even accused him of being greedy because he wanted to cancel his contract with Perry after finding a better deal.

What Happened Between Katy Perry and the Nun?

Kate Perry's dispute with Sister Catherine Rose Holzman involved a former convent in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles. The convent was originally owned by the religious order Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM).

However, the nuns vacated the property as the community dwindled, and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles asserted that the order no longer had canonical or legal authority to sell it. So, it sold the property and Perry's company, Bird Nest LLC, negotiated to purchase it at £11 ($14.5 million).

However, two elderly nuns, Sister Holzman and Sister Rita Callanan, bypassed the Archdiocese and sold the property to businesswoman Dana Hollister, who planned to convert it into a hotel or event space.

The Archdiocese and Perry sued to invalidate the sale to Hollister. In 2016, the judge ruled in favour of the Archdiocese and Perry. In 2017, the court found Hollister liable for 'malice and fraud' for interfering with the sale and was ordered to pay millions in damages to Perry and the Archdiocese.

Sister Holzman attended a bankruptcy-related court hearing connected to the case. Hours before the hearing, she pleaded with Perry to stop the legal battle.

'Katy Perry, please stop. It's not doing anyone any good except hurting a lot of people,' Sister Holzman said (via ABC.net.au).

However, during the hearing, she collapsed and died.

Katy Perry's Recent Legal Battle Against Carl Westcott

Katy Perry sued Westcott over a mansion in Montecito, California, that he agreed to sell to her for about £11.33 ($15) million in 2020. However, he backed out of the agreement just days later, claiming that his judgement at the time of signing was impaired due to medication. Perry argued that he changed his mind because he received a better offer.

In 2023, the judge favoured Perry after determining that Westcott was competent enough when he entered the deal. However, Perry sues him for $5 million, claiming that the prolonged litigation has cost her rental income and required repairs to the home.

Westcott is in hospice care and receives around-the-clock care due to his condition. Hence, many took Perry's case against Westcott as a harsh move against the dying veteran.

Abesi Manyando, a PR strategist based in the US, told The Telegraph that the optics of Perry's multi-million dollar lawsuit against a sick elderly person is 'terrible.' He even likened it to a 'David and Goliath narrative.'

'A global superstar with wealth, legal resources and leverage versus an elderly, declining veteran who already lost his home,' he said. 'And that dynamic carries emotional weight.'

Perry has yet to comment on the allegations that she's going after elderly people. However, in both cases, the court favoured her.

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