Chairman of Viacom and CBS, 92-year-old Sumner Redstone, is a “living ghost” and subject to uncontrollable crying fits, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday by former girlfriend Manuela Herzer. He is ‘distraught’ at his inability to eat or drink.
Herzer forced to leave the billionaire’s mansion in October, shortly after pushing out of his life his other girlfriend, Sydney Holland. Both women organized a birthday bash for the mogul in May.
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Now, 51 years-old Herzer seeks control of Redstone’s care per the Advance Health Care Directive in which Redstone made her his “agent” in September 2015, Hollywood Reporter say.
The lawsuit suggest that the media mogul should be forced to have a brain scan and prove he is fit to run his media empire.
Redstone controls about 80 percent of the voting shares in his multi-billion dollar media empire which owns Paramount movie studios and cable channels such as MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon.
Redstone’s physical and mental health have been the subject of intense debate and speculation, in part because he has been noticeably absent from his company’s’ earnings calls this year and has not attended the annual meetings.
The 51-years-old ex demands that Redstone receive a mental examination to determine whether he can still make decisions for himself. Her claims were disputed by Redstone’s lawyers, who say he was evaluated by a doctor on Monday and found to be in good spirits and able to make decisions, The Guardian report.
The billionaire’s lawyers claim that ex live-in girlfriend installed cameras throughout his mansion, without permission, and are demanding the return of any unauthorized video or audio recordings. New York Post report.
Herzer added in the court documents that Redstone was hospitalised three times in mid-2014, twice for aspiration and pneumonia. This left him with a feeding tube, catheter and the need to have saliva and phlegm suctioned from his throat multiple times day and night. But, on the other hand, Redstone is “susceptible to prurient urges and fixations that he is unable to control in spite of repeated recommendations” from doctors, says Herzer. “Mr. Redstone is fixated on sex on a daily basis.”
But Redstone’s attorney, Gabrielle Vidal, told Reuters the lawsuit was baseless and that Herzer had taken the action so that she would be in a better position to dispute Redstone’s will when he died.
“It is a meritless action, riddled with lies, and a despicable invasion of his privacy. It proves only that Ms Herzer will stop at nothing to pursue her personal financial agenda, ” Vidal told Reuters. “Herzer’s claim that she filed this lawsuit out of concern for Mr Redstone is preposterous.”
