Disturbing texts Dolly Parton’s nephew allegedly sent threatening ‘warfare’
Dolly Parton's nephew Bryan Seaver is alleged to have waged a campaign of 'threats, intimidation and coercion' against the late star's management company.
It is claimed that the singer's former head of security - who she selected to announce her death - threatened to destroy her legacy and business empire.
According to court documents, Seaver sent a slew of messages where he described himself as an 'international arms dealer and mercenary', adding: "All I do is warfare."
Parton's estate is managed by a company called She’s Alive, which is run by her long-time manager Danny Nozell.
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Last week, the firm fired Seaver from his role as head of security - which was a move that he described as 'unexpected' and 'unexplained'.
"We refuse to be intimidated by those whose actions we believe are being taken in bad faith and with the intent to profit from the life of someone who willingly gave so much," Seaver said in a short statement at the time.
Court documents that were filed in Nashville on Tuesday (22 September) then provided some further context about the feud between Parton's relative and her management company.
She's Alive has alleged that Seaver's 'terrorising conduct made their continued retention untenable', while asking for a temporary restraining order against him and his security firm Squadron Augmented Protection Services.
The company has accused Parton's nephew of launching an 'obscene, deliberate, and escalating campaign of threats' in a bid to get his hands on money from the '9 to 5' singer's estate.
The documents claim that Seaver 'invoked his self-proclaimed military-contractor experience, access to weapons, and capacity for violence' to do so - and allege that this all began weeks before Parton passed away.
Nozell and other employees are said to have received 'relentless' threats from Seaver, the lawsuit claims.
According to Billboard, it states: "These were not ordinary workplace disputes or heated words; they were deliberate threats from a self-proclaimed heavily armed, former security operative with a military-contractor background.
"Many of [Parton’s staff members] are now afraid to come to work or have resigned entirely because they do not feel safe."
Seaver - who is the son of Parton's sister Cassie - is alleged to have told a lawyer who worked for his famous aunt: "I'm a killer."
In a conversation with Nozell, it is claimed that he bragged: "I’m literally an international arms dealer and mercenary. All I do is warfare. Everyone needs to be worried about what I might do."
Seaver is alleged to have told those in charge of Parton's estate that he would 'set up a podcast dedicated to ruining Dolly’s brand partnerships and telling the violations these people have done on us'.
'Most of the comments I stand by'
Another alleged message is said to have read: "Her money better be bigger than I can make elsewhere or I'm going to f*** everyone. I am about to become the hand of retribution for my entire family."
However, Seaver has since claimed that these messages have been taken out of context.
He told TMZ: "I am a career soldier and military contractor and do conduct arms deals for foreign governments. I am a security professional and I am a killer.
"However, nothing in this lawsuit were threats and most of the comments I stand by. I was talking frankly in a private way with Danny who I thought was my friend and he fancies himself a gangster.
"A lot of these messages are two guys having rage talk and crying on the phone together while we were grieving."
A judge granted the request for a temporary restraining order on Seaver and his private security firm on Wednesday (23 September).
It's reported that he is forbidden from talking to or being within 1,000ft (300 meters) of She’s Alive employees, attorneys and business partners. It is also meant to keep him from interfering with its business relationships.
Parton's sister Freida shared a statement addressing the controversy and insisted there is no 'feud' within the family.
She said: "I’ll say this and this only: there is no feud within our family. No-one among the Parton/Owens family is fighting over Dolly’s estate. We all love Bryan, just as we all love each other. I love you all!!"
Seaver described the restraining order as 'spurious' when speaking to ABC News and said it is 'simply a publicity stunt'.
"I was fired," he went on. "After the estate negotiated with me and my company for services in perpetuity and agreed to that service provision from my company. A week later they fired me for these contrived 'threats'."
Topics: Dolly Parton, US News, Celebrity News, Money
Olivia Burke