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Dolly Parton’s estate has been granted a temporary restraining order against the late star’s nephew and his private security company amid a bitter legal dispute over allegations of threatening and harassing behavior.
She’s Alive, LLC, the entity Parton set up to protect her legacy after her death, filed a lawsuit on Tuesday alleging that the late country icon’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, threatened to smear her reputation and made violent threats against a number of employees.
The order, granted by a Tennessee judge Wednesday, bans Seaver and members of his company, Squadron Augmented Protection Services, from stepping foot on property owned by She’s Alive or coming within 1,000 feet of its employees and business partners.
The judge’s findings noted Seaver had “claimed access to weapons, experience with violence, and intention to retaliate” alongside alleged demands for payment, calling his communications “concerning.”
She’s Alive, headed by Parton’s longtime manager Danny Nozell, fired Seaver and his security detail last week, telling the court in filings that his “terrorizing conduct made their continued retention untenable.”
Dolly Parton died August 25 after a ‘brief battle with cancer,’ a statement said at the time (PA)
Court documents detail a barrage of increasingly hostile messages allegedly sent by Seaver starting shortly before Parton’s death from cancer last month. In one Sept. 1 message cited in court filings, Seaver allegedly wrote: “I’m going to 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. Or f***ing pay me.”
The complaint further alleges that Seaver boasted about his work for private military contractors during the Iraq War, called himself an “international arms dealer,” and threatened to burn down the beloved singer’s legacy.
The alleged intimidation campaign spooked estate staff, forcing employee resignations, the departure of the estate’s lead attorney, and the hiring of private security to guard workers at their homes, according to court documents.
Bryan Seaver has been accused of referring to himself as an ‘international arms dealer’ (YouTube/Dolly Parton)
Seaver is the son of the late Larry Seaver — who previously held the position of Parton’s head of security — and Parton’s younger sister Cassie Parton, 75.
He did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Representatives for his security company could not be reached, and a woman speaking through a doorbell camera at Seaver’s Fairview residence declined to comment.
Metropolitan Nashville Police Department spokesperson Kristin Mumford confirmed Wednesday that no police reports against Seaver are currently in their system.
A court hearing on the restraining order is set for October 7.
On Wednesday, one of Parton’s five sisters hit back at reports of a rift in the family and expressed support for Seaver on Instagram.
“Hi I’ll say this and this only: there is no feud within our family,” she wrote. “No one among the Parton/Owens family is fighting over Dolly’s estate.”
She added: “We all love Bryan, just as we love each other. I love you all!!”
In a statement to TMZ, Seaver denied the allegation that he was attempting to extort money from the estate, but maintained other claims were simply taken out of context.
“I am a career soldier and military contractor and do conduct arms deals for foreign governments,” Seaver told the publication. “I am a security professional and I am a killer.”
He continued: “However, nothing in this lawsuit were threats and most of the comments I stand by. I was talking frankly in a private way with Danny who I thought was my friend and he fancies himself a gangster. A lot of these messages are two guys having rage talk and crying on the phone together while we were grieving.”