EXCLUSIVE: Tortured Richard Simmons 'Was Planning Sex-Change Operation Before Death' — Years After Suing Over Transgender Reports

Exercise guru Richard Simmons WAS planning a sex-change operation in the months leading up to his death and had been in touch with a string of top surgeons.

The millionaire work-out king lived as a woman behind closed doors and was desperate to take the final step by undergoing a gender swap op, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

He sued news outlets seven years ago for defamation after denying credible stories that he carried out life as female at home but a judge ruled that he must pay costs after stating that Simmons couldn't prevail with his claims that a sex change damaged his reputation or put him in a false light.

Simmons had to cough up $130,000 in legal fees to news sites, including ourselves.

Now we can reveal that his desire to live as a woman had never dimmed.

A highly-placed source told us: "For years he had been living as a woman and called himself Fiona and, latterly, he had been seeking out surgeons who could help him with a sex change operation. There has always been legitimate interest in his life because his entire livelihood was based upon the public consumption of his image.

"It was he who chose to deny this very important aspect of his life for some reason when it was made public but I can tell you he never stopped wanting to fully transition into being a woman."

And now just four months after his death another battle is raging – over his $20million estate which will pit his longtime caretaker against his brother and a former manager Richard blamed for stealing him blind.

Caretaker Teresa Reveles Muro filed stunning court documents charging Simmons' brother, Leonard Simmons, coerced her into removing herself as a co-trustee of the lucrative estate, and she is seeking to be reinstated.

"With Teresa out of the way, Leonard has apparently joined forces with Richard's estranged manager, Michael Catalano, to pillage Richard's assets and legacy," the petition charged.

"During the final years of his life, Richard unequivocally cut ties with Catalano because he was exploiting Richard's celebrity without proper authorization and compensation.

"Leonard has openly defied Richard's explicit instructions by getting back into business with Catalano."

But Leonard said: "I am solely interested in protecting and maintaining my became a recluse in the last years of his life – died July 13 at age 76 after a fall in his Hollywood Hills home."

Following Muro's court filing, Leonard fired back in legal papers by accusing her of stealing about $1million worth of jewelry from the star's collection.

He also alleged she pilfered valuable pieces of art from his home. In addition, he claimed Muro voluntarily gave up the role of co-trustee.

"Teresa has demonstrated strong animosity towards Leonard for reasons that he does not understand," he stated in a motion seeking to have her petition kicked out of court.

"Having the two of them serve as co-trustees would be counterproductive and almost certainly lead to the appointment of a corporate trustee."

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