Richard Simmons’ longtime housekeeper, Teresa Reveles Muro, accused his brother of scheming to take full control over the fitness icon’s estate, In Touch has learned.
In Touch obtained the petition that Teresa filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on September 24.
Teresa said she brought the petition “to honor the wishes of” Richard. She said for nearly 36 years, “she lived with Richard, cared for him and was his closest friend and devoted confidant.”
She said that, “Not surprisingly, Richard named Teresa as one of his successor trustees of his trust, wanting and expecting that she would be responsible for administering his trust should he predecease her.”
Richard died on July 13 at the age of 76. Teresa found Richard’s “lifeless body on his bedroom floor and was understandably distraught.”
She said, “To make matters even worse, Teresa then became the unsuspecting victim of a nefarious scheme to wrest control over Richard’s trust.”
Teresa said the scheme was “perpetrated against her by Leonard Simmons, Richard’s brother, and Leonard’s wife Cathy Simmons.”
Teresa said that she was closest to Richard at the time of his death. She said Richard had not seen his brother for six years prior to his death. The petition said Richard wanted Teresa and Leonard to serve as cotrustees of the estate.
She said that the day after Richard passed, Leonard and Cathy rushed to the L.A. “at which time their plan was set in to motion.”
Teresa said on July 18 she visited the funeral home for an open casket viewing of Richard’s body.
She said Leonard and Cathy took Teresa directly to a meeting with the law firm who drafted the trust.
She claimed Leonard told her being cotrustee was a difficult job and that if she made any mistake, she would lose her inheritance.
Her lawyer said, “Teresa was overwhelmed by Richard’s sudden death just a few days earlier, the morning’s events at the funeral home and Leonard’s unexpected scare tactics. Moreover, English is not Teresa’s first language.” She said she was “coerced and fraudulently induced to sign” paperwork that removed her as cotrustee.
The petition said, “Richard was buried the next day, July 19, 2024. Within days, Leonard exerted exclusive control over the administration of Richard’s assets and made clear that Teresa would have no role in the decision-making process.”
Teresa’s lawyer added, “Just a few days after signing the Declination and upon realizing the consequences of the declination after having obtained professional advice, Teresa made repeated requests to serve as cotrustee as Richard intended and to have the Declination be deemed void, revoked, or properly rescinded. Leonard has unequivocally refused Teresa’s requests.”
The petition claimed, “In addition to making demands regarding Richard’s physical assets, Leonard sought to gain control over Richard’s legacy.”
Teresa asked the court to order that she has a right to be cotrustee. She also wants Leonard from being preventing from selling off Richard’s assets or exploiting his name for profit until the court rules on the matter.
Richard’s family has yet to respond to Teresa’s petition.
