Dolly Parton’s manager accuses her nephew of threatening her estate, files restraining order

Dolly Parton's longtime manager Danny Nozell filed a restraining order against Parton's nephew Bryan Seaver on Tuesday, accusing the singer's former head of security of threats, extortion and intimidation against the estate.

Seaver was the person who publicly announced his aunt's death on social media last month, stating that she died after a brief battle with cancer. She died surrounded by her loved ones at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Tennessee.

Parton's nephew, who is the son of her sister Cassie Parton, was fired as head of security for her properties last week.

Seaver, who has been accused of mounting “an obscene, deliberate and escalating campaign of threats” to obtain money from the Parton estate, allegedly threatened at least one Dollywood business partner in text messages shared in court documents on Tuesday, according to the New York Times.

The alleged text exchange took place earlier this month and someone identified as Seaver claimed he would be the “hand of retribution for my entire family." He also allegedly told one of Parton's longtime lawyers that he was a "killer," and that he had sold $27 million in arms and ammunition to the Haitian police on the day that his aunt died.

Seaver allegedly additionally told Nozell that he would “set up a podcast dedicated to ruining Dolly’s brand partnerships and telling the violations these people have done on us," if he was not paid by the estate.

The request for a restraining order was filed in Davidson County Chancery Court in Nashville by She’s Alive, which is the company responsible for overseeing Parton’s business endeavors and is led by Nozell.

The restraining order seeks to keep Seaver from the company’s properties and staff, and block him from having any contact with individuals that do business with She’s Alive.

Seaver has not commented on the accusations so far but told TMZ on Monday that his family is "dismayed" at Nozell's recent moves. 

“We remain unshakably resolved to fulfill her final directive to protect her family,” he said. “We refuse to be intimidated by those whose actions we believe are being taken in bad faith and with the intent to profit from the life of someone who willingly gave so much.”

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.