Dolly Parton’s Nephew Is Accused of Threatening Her Estate

With Dolly Parton now deceased, her estate is immediately facing a legal dispute. Bryan Seaver, who previously served as her personal security chief and delivered her death announcement on Instagram, is now the target of the lawsuit. His alleged behavior, obtained by Billboard, indicates that Seaver has been attempting to extort money from Parton’s estate through ominous threats of violence since her passing.

The lawsuit, filed by She’s Alive LLC—a company established by Parton to manage her affairs after her death—was obtained by Billboard. It is managed by Parton’s long-standing manager, Danny Nozell. The estate claims that Seaver, who has a military background, became "more confident" following Parton’s death and began demanding money from her financial resources.

Screenshots of his threatening messages, aimed at a Parton’s attorney, were included in the court documents. One message allegedly said, "I’m a killer," while another to Nozell claimed, "I’m going to spend the next times I have on earth ratf—king anyone that has ever betrayed my family." Seaver also described himself as "an international arms dealer and mercenary," according to the lawsuit.

He was dismissed from his security position on September 16 due to this behavior, but the estate continues to require protection and seeks a restraining order to keep Seaver at least 1,000 feet away from all team members. The lawsuit states that Seaver's threats were not ordinary workplace disputes but deliberate, dangerous statements from a self-proclaimed heavily armed individual with a military-contractor background.

Many of Parton’s employees are now afraid to return to work or have resigned due to the perceived unsafe environment. Seaver has not commented on the lawsuit.