Dolly's Nephew Accused of Threats and Extortion

Dolly Parton’s estate asked a Tennessee court this week to keep the singer’s nephew and former head of security away from the company that now runs her business empire, accusing him of threats meant to extract money after her death. 

She’s Alive LLC, the trust entity that oversees Dollywood and Parton’s brand deals, sued Bryan Seaver and his firm, Squadron Augmented Protection Services, on Tuesday in Davidson County Chancery Court. 

The Wall Street Journal reports Longtime manager Danny Nozell, who runs She’s Alive, asked a judge to bar Seaver from interfering with the company’s relationships and from coming within 1,000 feet of anyone tied to it. Some reports said a temporary restraining order was granted Tuesday. 

Bryan Seaver

The complaint alleges Seaver waged a “campaign of threats, intimidation and coercion” that began weeks before Parton died of cancer on Aug. 25 at age 80. Filings quote messages in which he allegedly vowed to “destroy the entire brand,” called himself “a killer,” and wrote that Parton’s money “better be bigger than I can make elsewhere or I’m going to f*** everyone.” He is also accused of threatening a podcast to ruin her partnerships and of telling a lawyer he was “the hand of retribution for my entire family.” 

Seaver has denied the claims, telling TMZ the texts and emails were taken out of context. 

She’s Alive fired Seaver and his company last week and barred them from Parton’s properties. He had run her security for about two decades, a job that passed from his late father, and was the relative who announced her death on Instagram. The suit says staff quit or hired private security after his messages. 

He has 30 days to respond. Chancellor I’Ashea Myles is expected to set a hearing. Parton left no children. Her husband, Carl Dean, died last year. The company now trying to lock her nephew out of the business is the one she built to keep that empire running.