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Katy Perry’s longtime business manager, Bernie Gudvi, has asked a judge to order Carl Westcott to pay more than USD 5 million in legal fees after Westcott lost his court battle over a Santa Barbara mansion he sold to the singer. Westcott, a disabled veteran and successful businessman, had tried to cancel the sale, claiming he was under the influence of painkillers after surgery when he signed the deal.




Katy Perry's mansion case legal fees


TMZ reported that court documents show Gudvi’s lawyers asked the court to make Westcott cover legal fees built up between 2020 and 2026. According to the outlet, the filing says the legal bill crossed USD 5 million during the long fight over the property.




Westcott had sued to get out of the mansion sale after agreeing to sell the Santa Barbara home to Perry. He argued that his medical condition and use of painkillers after surgery affected his decision at the time he executed the deal.




Perry refused to walk away from the agreement. The case then moved through the court and ended in her side’s favor. The trial led to a damages award and an order directing Westcott to turn over the keys to Perry immediately.




Carl Westcott loses Santa Barbara mansion fight


Gudvi was the person named in the pleadings and handled the legal fight on Perry’s side. His team now says the case required major legal work over several years.




The filing says the fees came from work tied to Katy’s depositions, a review of Westcott’s medical records, and trial preparation. The lawyers also pointed to the length of the proceedings, which ran from 2020 to 2026.




The request adds a new chapter to the real estate dispute, which has already drawn attention because of the people involved and the nature of Westcott’s claims. He is described in the report as a disabled veteran and an “uber-successful businessman” who challenged the sale after the agreement was signed.




The judge will now have to decide whether Westcott must pay Gudvi’s requested legal costs. The court has already ruled against Westcott in the main dispute and ordered him to surrender the mansion to Perry.