Read Richard Simmons’ Secret Emails: Furious Private Messages Exposed in Brutal Battle Over his Millions
Simmons' death has led to a battle over his money.
Oct. 31 2024, Published 6:30 p.m. ET
Richard Simmons wanted nothing to do with his ex manager before his shocking death.
RadarOnline.com can reveal Simmons was raging over Michael Catalano in emails, as the star's family and his housekeeper continue to fight over his money.
Simmons left behind millions in what is now a battle between his family and housekeeper.
The fitness guru's housekeeper, Teresa Reveles Muro, filed a petition in hopes of being reinstated as a co-trustee.
According to Muro, she was pushed into abandoning the role by members of the Simmons family, especially by his brother Leonard, while she was still grieving his death.
The filing read: "Richard Simmons would roll over in his grave if he knew what his brother Leonard has done since his tragic death on July 13, 2024," and she claimed Leonard had started working with Simmons' estranged manager to “pillage Richard’s assets and legacy.”
Simmons died in July 2024 after celebrating his birthday.
Muro also claimed Simmons had rejected an offer from his former manager, Catalano, to work on a documentary about the star's life before his death.
Michele Matz, who was Simmons' assistant from 2001 until he died, submitted a declaration on behalf of Muro, revealing emails by Simmons showing how much he detested Catalano.
One email read: "I don’t want a check from him. I don’t want him to do a documentary on me and I don’t want to ever hear his name again. He has ripped my life apart. I am sure he will do it without my permission. I want nothing from him.
"Don’t worry about writing me back nothing you can say will make me feel better. Do not accept that check. I am so upset I can hardly breathe.”
A spokesperson for the Simmons family called the housekeeper's filing behavior as 'greedy'.
In another to his accountant about Catalano in 2021, Simmons raged he would "rather die" than work on another project with his estranged manager, and added: "He owes me money for projects he sold and we will never get a dime of it... I have been so miserable about this for so long, but it falls on your deaf ears. He won and I lost. I will never ever get over this. I will never ask you about this again."
The following year, another email stated: "I want [Catalano] to never ever make a dime off of me again. He has made money all these years. I am so sick and tired of talking about this... I am so unhappy right now you immediately have to stop [Catalano] from making money off me. This is going to give me a heart attack.”
Tom Estey, a spokesperson for the Simmons family, bashed Muro's lawsuit in a statement which read: "Richard's message was always one of joy and positivity.
"He would be heartbroken to learn of Teresa's greed and insulted that she would diminish their three decades of supposed friendship in such a public way."
Estey claimed Muro is a "significant beneficiary of his will," and added: "She made an informed decision to decline to serve as co-trustee of the estate, which does not affect her status as a beneficiary at all."
Simmons died in July 2024 in what was ruled as an 'accidental' death.
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Simmons died on July 13, the day after his 76th birthday. According to the coroner's report, the TV star had what appeared to be bruises on his head, chest, elbows, hands, upper left thigh, buttocks, bilateral lower legs and feet.
There was also a "palpable fracture" to his left femur, the autopsy noted.
Simmons' death was ruled accidental, caused by the prior injuries he had suffered after he had fallen two days before his death.
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