Dolly Parton’s nephew accused of threats, extortion amid estate squabbles

Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton File photo. A feud came to light after a restraining order was requested by the estate of Dolly Parton against her nephew, who served as the singer's head of security. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images for ABA)

A squabble over Dolly Parton’s estate erupted on Tuesday as the country music legend’s longtime manager accused her nephew -- who also acted as the singer’s head of security -- of threats, extortion and intimidation.

The accusations against Bryan Seaver were revealed after a restraining order was requested, The New York Times reported.

In court papers filed on Tuesday in Davidson County Chancery Court in Nashville, Seaver is accused of mounting “an obscene, deliberate and escalating campaign of threats” to get money from the Parton estate, the Times reported.

The request was filed by She’s Alive, a corporation responsible for handling Parton’s businesses. It is run by her longtime manager, Danny Nozell, according to the newspaper.

Seaver, the son of Parton’s sister, Cassie, announced the singer’s death at the age of 80 on Aug. 25 in a video message posted to social media.

He served as Parton’s head of security for more than 20 years before he was terminated earlier this month, according to People. He took over the security role from his father, Larry Seaver, the magazine reported.

According to TMZ, Bryan Seaver received a termination notice on Sept. 16, which stated that he and his security companies were immediately dismissed.

At issue is Parton’s entertainment empire, which includes the Dollywood amusement park in Sevier County, Tennessee, her SongTeller hotel in Nashville and Life of Many Colors museum that is set to open on Sept. 29.

In a statement after his termination, Seaver and his team criticized Nozell and Pinnacle Bank, claiming they were “dismayed by the unexpected and, so far, unexplained actions” taken after the “Jolene” singer’s death, People reported.

“We remain unshakably resolved to fulfill her final directive to protect her family, and 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’s team told TMZ.

In text messages included in the court papers, a person identified as Seaver issued a profane threat against at least one Dollywood business partner, according to the Times. He wrote that he would become “the hand of retribution for my entire family,” according to the complaint.

In an exchange on Sept. 3 with one of Parton’s longtime attorneys, Seaver described himself as a “killer” and said that on the day his aunt died, he had sold $27 million in arms and ammunition to the Haitian police, the newspaper reported.

“Let’s have dinner …” Seaver wrote, according to a copy of the email attached to the complaint.

According to court papers, Seaver told Nozell via text messages that he would “set up a podcast dedicated to ruining Dolly’s brand partnerships and telling the violations these people have done on us.”

“It’s going to be great,” Seaver wrote, the Times reported.

“Or pay me,” he added with an expletive.

The proposed order would keep Seaver from the company’s properties and staff. It would also block him from having any contact with people who do business with She’s Alive, according to the newspaper.

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