Richard Simmons’ Housekeeper Petitions to Be Restated as Co-Trustee of Fitness Guru’s Estate

Richard Simmons‘ longtime housekeeper and friend has filed a petition against the late fitness guru’s brother, claiming she was pressured into giving up her role as co-trustee of Simmons’ estate during a time of extreme stress.

Teresa Reveles lived and worked with Simmons for 35 years starting in 1987 until his sudden death at the age of 76 in July.

On Wednesday, Sept. 25, Reveles filed a petition alleging that Richard’s brother Leonard (Lenny) Simmons and his wife Cathy Simmons requested that she sign paperwork stripping her of her role as co-trustee of Richard’s estate just days after his July 13 death while she was “understandably distraught.”

TMZ was first to report the news.

“For nearly thirty-six (36) years, Teresa lived with Richard, cared for him, and was his closest friend and devoted confidant. Not surprisingly, Richard named Teresa as one of his successor Trustees of his Trust, wanting and expecting that she would be responsible for administering his Trust should he predecease her,” the petition, obtained by PEOPLE, reads.

The petition states that it was after “an open casket viewing of Richard’s body” that Lenny and Cathy “immediately” took her “directly to a meeting … to discuss Richard’s financial affairs,” despite Reveles asking for time to process the situation.

Reveles claims she did not understand what she was signing at the time — English is not her first language — but did so anyway out of fear that she could lose her rights to Richard’s inheritance as she was a beneficiary, and refers to Lenny’s actions as a “nefarious scheme.”

Additionally, she alleges she was never given the opportunity to speak with her own legal counsel before signing the documents.  

Reveles has now retained a lawyer, and is in the process of trying to restore her title as co-trustee per Richard’s wishes, but her attorney claims that the law firm handling the trust has not responded to their requests. 

She also claims that the siblings “had not seen each other in person for more than six years prior to Richard’s death.”

Until the matter is resolved, Reveles is asking a court to prohibit Lenny from profiting from Richard’s image and likeness.

PEOPLE reached out to Lenny Simmons for comment.

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The fitness guru fell on July 11, and spent the next day in bed before he was later found unresponsive by Reveles. 

His official cause of death was the result of blunt traumatic injuries, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office via a press release on Aug. 22. The manner of death was ruled as an accident.

“When I saw him, he looked peaceful,” Reveles exclusively told PEOPLE in July of finding Richard in his bedroom with his hands balled into fists. “That’s why I know it was a heart attack. I had a heart attack a few years ago, and my hands did the same.”

“He died happy,” she said.

Lenny also previously spoke of his brother’s relationship with Reveles.

“Teresa was extremely loyal and trustworthy,” he told PEOPLE exclusively. “She loved my brother, and he loved her. We are blessed to have Teresa in our lives.”