Threats and restraining order: The battle over Dolly Parton's estate

Less than a month after the death of Dolly Parton, a court in Nashville issued a temporary restraining order against her nephew Brian Seaver, who served as her head of security for over 20 years. Seaver was fired from his position and is accused of threats and intimidation against her managers and other parties, amid a financial dispute and a struggle over the management of her legacy and business empire.

Less than a month after the death of country legend Dolly Parton, the conflict between her managers and her nephew Brian Seaver has escalated. The Davidson County court in Nashville, Tennessee, issued a temporary restraining order against Seaver, who served as Parton's head of security for over 20 years. The order was issued following claims that he threatened the singer's longtime manager and other parties connected to her business. According to the lawsuit, the threats stem from a financial dispute. Her managers claim that Seaver began making financial demands in the weeks leading up to her death, and tried to force them to comply through threats. Messages attributed to him included statements like "Her money better be bigger than what I can make elsewhere, or else I'll screw everyone" and "Everyone should worry about what I might do." It was also alleged that Seaver would mention his past as a military contractor and his access to weapons, describing himself as an "international arms dealer and mercenary." Seaver does not deny saying at least some of the things, but claims they were taken out of context. The legal battle comes after Seaver and his security companies were fired from all their roles in Parton's assets. Despite the firing, Seaver's status as a beneficiary of Parton's trust has not changed.