On January 4, 2019, a settlement was reached between former CEO of Viacom, Sumner Redstone and his family and Redstone’s one-time companion, Manuela Herzer, with both sides agreeing to stop all litigation and Herzer promising to pay back $3.25 million in gifts which Redstone’s family claims he was manipulated into giving her.

The settlement ends a California lawsuit filed in 2016 that accused Herzer and Redstone’s ex-girlfriend, Sydney Holland, of allegedly manipulating and sometimes drugging the 95-year-old former CEO, and getting him to sign over control of his funds. The case against Holland was settled separately last year.

The January 4th settlement also ends an action Herzer brought in California federal court against Shari Redston (Sumner’s daughter), under the the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations statute, alleging Shari and her son and co-defendant, Tyler Korff, orchestrated a criminal scheme to take over the ailing man’s life and cut Herzer out of a $70 million inheritance. The agreement also resolves an invasion of privacy case in California state court in which Herzer had accused Shari Redstone and Korff of paying staff to spy on her and others.

The settlement, however, doesn’t cover a related lawsuit by Herzer against Loeb & Loeb LLP attorney Leah Bishop, in which Herzer alleges Bishop sent her a document to sign and told her that it was necessary to ensure Redstone didn’t pay “gift taxes” for the apartment, when in fact in actually made the million in gifts revocable.

Herzer is represented by Ronald Richards of the Law Offices of Ronald Richards & Associates APC.

Sumner and Shari Redstone are represented by Robert N. Klieger of Hueston Hennigan LLP.

Tyler Korff is represented by Vivian L. Thoreen, Robert Barton, Daniel Small and Kristina Azlin of Holland & Knight LLP.

The cases are Manuela Herzer v. Shari Redstone et al, case number BC619766, in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles; Sumner M. Redstone v. Manuela Herzer et al, case number BC638054, in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles; Sumner M. Redstone v. Manuela Herzer, case number 159840/2016, in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York; Manuela Herzer v. Shari Redstone et al, case number 2:17-cv-07545, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California; and Manuela Herzer v. Sumner Redstone, case number SC129650, in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles.

* Lowe & Associates (“The Firm”) is a boutique entertainment and business litigation firm located in Beverly Hills, California. The Firm has extensive experience handling cases involving entertainment law, having provided top quality legal services to its clients since 1991. The Firm is recognized in multiple publications for its many achievements and high ethical standards, including Martindale-Hubbell and Super Lawyers.

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