Katy Perry Wins Mansion War as Disabled Veteran Ordered to Pay Her $1.84 Million in Damages

Katy Perry has secured a decisive victory in one of Hollywood's most unusual and emotionally charged property disputes after a judge ruled that disabled US veteran Carl Westcott must pay the pop star nearly £1.4 million ($1.84 million) in damages.

The judgment brings a dramatic close to a feud that has simmered for more than five years and left an £11 million ($13.9 million) Montecito mansion trapped in legal limbo.

How the Montecito Deal Fell Apart

The mansion at the heart of the dispute is a sprawling £11 million ($13.9 million) estate in Montecito, an exclusive California enclave known for attracting celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Meghan Markle.

Perry, who was then with Orlando Bloom, agreed to buy the £15 million ($19 million) property in July 2020 through her business manager Bernie Gudvi. The sale appeared straightforward until Westcott, the founder of 1-800-Flowers, attempted to rescind the deal only days after signing the contract.

Westcott, now 85, argued that he had been mentally unfit to make the decision. He was diagnosed with Huntington's Disease in 2015 and had recently undergone spinal surgery, which his legal team said left him experiencing delusions and intrusive thoughts due to pain medication.

According to his attorney, Andrew Thomas, Westcott reported feeling mentally clearer shortly after the deal and contacted Gudvi to say he had not been of sound mind during the signing.

However, the judge overseeing the case later found no persuasive evidence supporting those claims.

In court, Westcott was described as coherent, engaged and rational at the time of the sale. With Perry already gaining legal ownership of the property in May 2024, the ruling effectively shut down the veteran's attempt to reclaim the home.

The Long Court Battle and Claims

As the case continued, Perry argued that the prolonged legal fight had cost her significant rental income.

Court documents show she sought nearly £4 million ($5.1 million) in total damages, including £3.5 million ($4.45 million) in lost rental value and more than £1.3 million ($1.65 million) for essential repairs. Her legal team claimed the delay meant the property remained unusable for years.

On 25 November, Judge Joseph Lipner ruled that Perry was entitled to £1.4 million ($1.84 million) in damages. This included more than £2.7 million ($3.43 million) in rental value for the delayed closing, which covered the period from September 2020 to March 2024. From that figure, the court deducted retained capital and lost interest owed to Westcott. The judge also limited repair costs to £259,581 ($328,000), the amount Westcott had previously suggested.

The ruling noted that Gudvi had already paid Westcott £6.8 million ($8.6 million) of the purchase price and had retained another £4.5 million ($5.7 million). He can now deduct the awarded damages from that remaining balance. The final judgment will be prepared before a 30 December hearing, where Westcott will be given a last opportunity to contest the decision.

Perry's Reasons for Fighting Back

Despite the criticism she received for battling an elderly veteran with a degenerative illness, Perry has stood firm about why she pursued the case.

She explained that the dispute was never about taking advantage of a vulnerable seller but about enforcing a valid contract signed in good faith.

Having invested in the estate and made long term plans around it, she argued that she was justified in recovering the losses caused by the delay.

Court documents also revealed that the pop star rejected any suggestion that she had exploited Westcott's condition. In earlier hearings, the judge agreed that Westcott had shown no visible signs of mental impairment during the transaction and had communicated logically and clearly.

What the Ruling Means for Both Sides

For Perry, the judgement is a clean break after years of legal uncertainty. She now retains full ownership of the Montecito home and can recover the substantial costs she says were drained by the dispute.

For Westcott, the ruling marks a painful conclusion to a fight driven by his belief that he had been mentally compromised at the time of the sale.

The court's decision leaves the veteran responsible for paying nearly £1.4 million ($1.84 million) in damages, which will be deducted from the outstanding portion of the purchase price.

While he can still challenge the judgment in the December hearing, the ruling stands as a clear victory for Perry after one of the most unusual celebrity property battles in recent memory.