Richard Simmons' Brother Highlights Missing Property In Legal Battle Against His Housekeeper

Richard Simmons' brother, Leonard Simmons, comes forward with fresh claims of loss amid a legal battle with the star's housekeeper, Teresa Reveles.

The fitness guru's brother reported a case of several missing items belonging to his late brother since his sudden passing as he fights off Reveles' attempts to remove him as trustee.

Richard Simmons was found unresponsive by his housekeeper on July 13 after suffering a bathroom slip in his Los Angeles home on July 11.

Leonard shared the information amid his ongoing legal tussle with Reveles, who tendered a request to temporarily suspend Leonard's powers as trustee of Richard's estate.

The fitness guru's brother noted that he has been unable to find "song lyrics that [Richard] wrote for a Broadway play he was working on and other handwritten notes for social media to be posted the following week." 

He, however, did not point fingers at Reveles for the missing items reported despite the tense nature of their current relationship. As previously reported by In Touch, Richard left behind a will that appointed his housekeeper, Teresa, and his brother, Leonard, as co-trustees of his estate.

The legal drama between Richard's family and his longtime housekeeper began when Reveles requested to be returned as a co-trustee for the estate. 

The Blast shared that she accused Leonard and his wife Cathy of convincing her to sign documents giving up her rights to the position amid her grief. The housekeeper claimed she was not aware of the content of the document or what Leonard and his wife were up to.

However, Richard's family trashed her claims and argued that her concerns were fueled by greed. Tom Estey, a spokesperson for the Simmons family, addressed the situation in a statement claiming:

"Richard's message was always one of joy and positivity. He would be heartbroken to learn of Teresa's greed and insulted that she would diminish their three decades of supposed friendship in such a public way."

Estey also mentioned that Richard's housekeeper actions directly threaten his "incredible legacy, which we are working hard to preserve."

The attorney emphasized that "co-trustees must work together in the best interests of the estate," but Reveles has proven not to share similar progressive interests. The legal rep added:

"Even now, two months after he died, she is staying in his house, even though she has her own residence, and she has attempted to charge the estate for her living expenses."

Reveles also faced scrutiny from the family for her involvement in a pitched Netflix documentary. Estey claimed her participation would harm Richard's legacy.

Additionally, the attorney slammed Reveles for wasting the beneficiaries' time and assets with her "meritless and pointless litigation."

Reveles reportedly updated her motion to prevent Leonard from exploiting Richard's name and likeness. In her filing, the housekeeper claimed the late fitness instructor would be disappointed by his brother's actions since his death.

"Richard Simmons would roll over in his grave if he knew what his brother Leonard has done since his tragic death on July 13, 2024," Reveles began in her motion.

She accused Leonard of ignoring Richard's final wishes by working alongside his former manager. Reveles alleged that the pair teamed up to "pillage Richard's assets and legacy," despite Richard dismissing the manager for exploitation in the past.

"Richard stated that he 'would rather die' than participate in another project with him," the housekeeper declared. She also noted her late employer rejected the manager's attempts to work on a documentary about his life.

The Blast noted that the 76-year-old autopsy report ruled his death an accident due to a "ground level fall" that led to his eventual death due to "blunt traumatic injuries." The medical examiner also cited cardiovascular disease as another cause of his death.

Richard's shocking death happened after he suffered a fall in his bathroom due to dizziness. It was not confirmed if the star struck his head, but he reportedly could not get up from the floor as he spent several hours lying down.

The fitness expert's caretaker eventually found him on July 12; although he had difficulty with mobility, the housekeeper noted that he was "alert and responsive."

"He spent the day in bed and was visited by his secretary, who stated that the decedent's speech seemed slurred. The decedent's caretaker stayed with him until approximately 2145-2200 hours and helped him take his medication before he went to sleep," the medical report concluded.

Is there an end in sight to the ongoing tussle between Richard Simmon's family and Teresa Reveles?