Judge’s Shocking Ruling Puts Millions In Katy Perry’s Pocket

Katy Perry has secured a major courtroom victory after a Los Angeles judge ruled that she is entitled to nearly $2 million in damages in her long-running property battle with disabled veteran Carl Westcott.

The legal fight erupted over the $15 million Montecito estate she purchased five years ago, a sprawling property located in the same exclusive enclave as Oprah Winfrey and Meghan Markle.

After years of accusations, delays, and competing financial claims, the judge concluded that Perry was owed compensation for the prolonged dispute.

In a decisive legal win for Katy Perry in May 2024, the court determined that Westcott was fully capable of entering into the real estate contract when he agreed to sell his eight-bedroom, 11-bathroom Montecito estate.

The veteran had attempted to reverse the sale only days after signing, arguing that painkillers left him incapacitated.

However, the judge found “no persuasive evidence that he lacked capacity,” closing the door on his claim.

Now, according to new court documents obtained by the Daily Mail, the judge has awarded the singer exactly $1,842,142.84 in damages.

That figure was calculated by subtracting Westcott’s retained capital, over $1 million, and his lost interest, nearly $150,000, from the more than $2.7 million in rental value the property accumulated during the delayed closing period.

The judge also reduced the repair amount Perry requested, lowering it to $259,581.84, which notably matched a figure Westcott had previously suggested.

More details of the ruling also clarified how the original $15 million purchase was handled behind the scenes.

Katy Perry’s business manager, Bernie Gudvi, had paid Westcott $9 million upfront and held the remaining $6 million pending completion of the sale.

After the judge’s newest ruling, Gudvi is now allowed to subtract the $1.8 million judgment amount from that leftover balance.

The court also assigned the manager the task of preparing the judgment itself, with a hearing scheduled for December 30 in case Westcott’s side wishes to challenge it.

While Perry’s win is substantial, it is still less than what she recently requested in legal documents.

As The Blast reported, she had asked the court to order Westcott to pay $4,718,698.95, arguing that the extended litigation deprived her of significant rental value and required extensive repairs.

Her legal team claimed she was “entitled to $3,525,000 in rental value” alone due to the ongoing delays, and they calculated repairs at over $1.3 million before deductions.

Although Perry positioned her damages request at more than $4.7 million, Westcott’s attorneys argued the financial reality was the opposite and that the “Dark Horse” hitmaker still owed Westcott money.

They claimed she had only paid $9 million of the agreed-upon $15 million purchase price and insisted she remained responsible for the remaining $6 million.

Westcott’s team said they were willing to deduct repair-related amounts, bringing the owed balance to $5,740,418.18.

Their filings argued that Perry’s calculations overstated her losses and ignored Westcott’s own financial damages.

The two sides presented dramatically opposing versions of what each party owed, leading to a tense final phase of the case.

Katy Perry personally testified in August via Zoom before the Los Angeles court, speaking directly about the 2.5-acre estate in dispute.

During questioning by Westcott’s attorney Andrew J. Thomas, the 41-year-old was asked whether she stood to “gain money or anything else from the outcome of this litigation.”

Perry responded, “Yes … justice; I stand to lose money if it does not work in my favor.”

She was also asked if she has “a financial stake of any kind in the outcome of this lawsuit.”

The songstress confirmed she does, explaining that the financial stake for her, "could be lost money, lawyers' fees, lost income for rental.”

Following the testimony, Chart and Court, the sons of 85-year-old veteran Carl Wescott lashed out at the “Last Friday Night” crooner.

According to The Blast, they described her as a “wicked witch” and accused her of showing zero respect for their father’s condition or the seriousness of the court battle.

They claimed her behavior revealed a “pattern of disrespect,” pointing to moments like her showing up in pajamas, which Chart said was “just disrespectful” and what Court described as a “calculated and ingratiating” tone.

To them, the pop star who once seemed warm and approachable disappeared the moment she entered the courtroom, replaced by someone they say cared only about winning.

With their father reportedly bedridden in hospice care, the brothers argued that Perry’s aggressive legal stance, including pushing for millions in damages, felt cold, harsh, and deeply personal.