NEED TO KNOW
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Katy Perry has been awarded more than $3 million in legal fees after a years-long legal battle with Karl Westcott.
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The conflict began in 2020 when Westcott tried to back out of the sale of his $15 million Montecito mansion to Perry and her ex-fiancé Orlando Bloom.
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Westcott claimed he suffered from mental incompetence due to Huntington's disease, but the judge found no convincing evidence to support his claims.
A Los Angeles judge has ordered a Texas millionaire to pay Katy Perry more than $3 million in legal fees after losing a years-long legal battle over the sale of a California mansion.
On Thursday, May 28, a Los Angeles judge ruled that the 41-year-old "Firework" singer is entitled to more than $3 million in attorney fees and nearly $345,000 in legal costs through her business manager, Bernie Goodvey, according to a court order obtained by PEOPLE. This amount is in addition to the $1.8 million Perry's team previously received when a judge ruled against Westcott in November 2025.
Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom attended the Vanity Fair 2025 Oscars Party on March 2 in Beverly Hills, California. Photo: Taylor Hill/FilmMagic
The dispute began nearly six years ago, when Perry and her ex-fiancé, Orlando Bloom, 49, purchased a $15 million mansion in Montecito, California, from Westcott in August 2020. Days later, the businessman attempted to cancel the deal, citing mental incompetence. He was diagnosed with the genetic brain disorder Huntington's disease in 2015. .
Westcott subsequently filed a lawsuit against Goodwey; however, the judge ruled that there was no "compelling evidence" to support Westcott's claims and that he appeared to be "coherent, interested, lucid, and rational.".
On Tuesday, November 25, Judge Joseph Lipner of the California Superior Court in Los Angeles County ruled that Perry is owed a total of $1,842,142.84, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE at the time. That amount represents $2,795,000 in rent on the home during the delayed closing period (from the September 2020 sale date to March 2024), less the value of the retained equity ($1,062,736) and Westcott's lost profits ($149,703.00).
Katy Perry attended the Oscar de la Renta Spring Collaboration Luncheon and Fashion Show on April 25, 2024, in Beverly Hills, California. Photo: Monica Schipper/Getty
According to data Billboard , After the ruling, Perry's team sought to recover $4.5 million in fees for nearly 5,000 billable hours of legal work. However, as the publication reports, Lipner considered this amount "extraordinarily high for a case of this nature.".
The judge previously ruled that, in the $15 million deal, Gudvi paid Westcott $9 million and retained $6 million of the purchase price. The judge ruled that Gudvi could deduct the $1.8 million awarded from the remaining amount.
Perry and Bloom originally purchased the Montecito estate for their family, including their 5-year-old daughter, Daisy Dove. The eight-bedroom, 11-bathroom home sits on 2.5 acres and includes a three-bedroom oceanfront guesthouse. It also features an infinity pool, a Jacuzzi, and an outdoor fireplace.
It's unclear whether the former couple moved into the home after Perry officially took ownership in May 2024. Sources previously told PEOPLE that Bloom and Perry began renting the property out in February 2025. .
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PEOPLE confirmed that Perry and Orlando split in June 2025 after nine years together. They met at a Golden Globes afterparty in 2016. A source told PEOPLE that "the split was amicable," adding, "They reached a point where they felt there was no way back to a healthy relationship and that it was best to live separately.".
Read the original article on People.