Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy are not taking the Michael Oher accusations lightly.
According to the Daily Mail the Tuohy’s claim Michael Oher demanded $15 million from them before filing a petition to end the family’s conservatorship over him.
Oher, the former NFL offensive lineman who became the inspiration for the book and movie, The Blind Side, filed a petition in a Tennessee court on Monday accusing the family of lying about adopting him.
Instead, the filing claims, the Tuohys had him sign papers making them his conservators, and then used that arrangement to profit off his story when the book and movie were popularized more than a decade ago.
But according to attorney Marty Singer, who represents the Tuohys, Oher had previously threatened the family and demanded an eight-figure payday.
And if they didn’t, Singer claims, the former Ole Miss standout said he would ‘plant a negative story about them in the press.’
Singer denied Oher’s claims, saying that the Tuohy family did not trick him into agreeing to join the conservatorship when he was 18.
Instead, Singer said in his statement, the conservatorship was ‘established to assist with Mr. Oher’s needs, ranging from getting him health insurance and obtaining a driver’s license to helping with college admissions.
Should Mr. Oher wish to terminate the conservatorship, either now or at anytime in the future, the Tuohys will never oppose it in any way.’
Singer also rejected Oher’s claim that the Tuohy family used that conservatorship to deny him millions in profits from the film.
‘The notion that a couple worth hundreds of millions of dollars would connive to withhold a few thousand dollars in profit participation payments from anyone — let alone from someone they loved as a son — defies belief,’ Singer said.
Singer did acknowledge that the Tuohys ‘received a small advance from the production company and a tiny percentage of net profits’ from the film, which they either shared with Oher or tried to share with him, according to the attorney.
‘Over the years, the Tuohys have given Mr. Oher an equal cut of every penny received from The Blind Side,’ Singer said.
‘Even recently, when Mr. Oher started to threaten them about what he would do unless they paid him an eight-figure windfall, and, as part of that shakedown effort refused to cash the small profit checks from the Tuohys, they still deposited Mr. Oher’s equal share into a trust account they set up for his son.’
TUOHY FAMILY STATEMENT
A statement from Tuohy family attorney, Martin Singer:
Anyone with a modicum of common sense can see that the outlandish claims made by Michael Oher about the Tuohy family are hurtful and absurd. The idea that the Tuohys have ever sought to profit off Mr. Oher is not only offensive, it is transparently ridiculous. Through hard work and good fortune, Sean and Leigh Anne have made an extraordinary amount of money in the restaurant business. The notion that a couple worth hundreds of millions of dollars would connive to withhold a few thousand dollars in profit participation payments from anyone – let alone from someone they loved as a son – defies belief.
In reality, the Tuohys opened their home to Mr. Oher, offered him structure, support and, most of all, unconditional love. They have consistently treated him like a son and one of their three children. His response was to threaten them, including saying that he would plant a negative story about them in the press unless they paid him $15 million.
When Michael Lewis, a friend of Sean’s since childhood, was approached about turning his book on Mr. Oher and the Tuohys into a movie about their family, his agents negotiated a deal where they received a small advance from the production company and a tiny percentage of net profits. They insisted that any money received be divided equally. And they have made good on that pledge.
The evidence – documented in profit participation checks and studio accounting statements – is clear: over the years, the Tuohys have given Mr. Oher an equal cut of every penny received from The Blind Side. Even recently, when Mr. Oher started to threaten them about what he would do unless they paid him an eight-figure windfall, and, as part of that shakedown effort refused to cash the small profit checks from the Tuohys, they still deposited Mr. Oher’s equal share into a trust account they set up for his son.
Additionally, in spite of the false allegation in the lawsuit, the Tuohys have always been upfront about how a conservatorship (from which not one penny was received) was established to assist with Mr. Oher’s needs, ranging from getting him health insurance and obtaining a driver’s license to helping with college admissions. Should Mr. Oher wish to terminate the conservatorship, either now or at anytime in the future, the Tuohys will never oppose it in any way.
Unbeknownst to the public, Mr. Oher has actually attempted to run this play several times before – but it seems that numerous other lawyers stopped representing him once they saw the evidence and learned the truth. Sadly, Mr. Oher has finally found a willing enabler and filed this ludicrous lawsuit as a cynical attempt to drum up attention in the middle of his latest book tour.
The Tuohys will always care deeply for Mr. Oher. They are heartbroken over these events. They desperately hope that he comes to regret his recent decisions, makes different choices in the future and that they someday can be reconciled with him. In the meantime, however, they will not hesitate to defend their good names, stand up to this shakedown and defeat this offensive lawsuit.
For his career, Oher earned $34.5 million.
Oher is asking for the public to respect his privacy during his legal battle.
‘I am disheartened by the revelation shared in the lawsuit today,’ Oher told People.com in a statement. ‘This is a difficult situation for my family and me. I want to ask everyone to please respect our privacy at this time. For now, I will let the lawsuit speak for itself and will offer no further comment.’
