World News – USA – Vanessa Bryant says mother tried to extort a financial burglary from her with a « hurtful » legal battle

Vanessa Bryant calls her mother Sofia Laine’s lawsuit « frivolous, shameful and incredibly hurtful ».

Vanessa Bryant accuses her mother of attempting « a financial collapse » from her family through a new lawsuit following the untimely death of husband Kobe Bryant.

According to court documents filed Tuesday in California and received by PEOPLE, Sofia Laine, 68, is suing her daughter Vanessa, 38, for financial assistance, claiming she got unpaid as a « longtime personal assistant and nanny » for the company Family worked. Laine adds in the lawsuit that before his death on Jan. . At 41, Kobe « had promised to take care of » his mother-in-law « for the rest of her life. « 

« Unfortunately, Kobe Bryant’s promises didn’t see the light of day as he has since passed away, and Vanessa Bryant took every possible step to void and nullify all of Kobe Bryant’s promises to [Laine]. « . At no point did Vanessa Bryant intend to keep any of the Bryants’ representations, agreements, and promises. « 

In a statement to PEOPLE, Vanessa, who also lost 13-year-old daughter Gianna in the same helicopter crash that killed her husband and seven other victims, alleged that her mother « continues to try to find ways to make money. » To extort funds. « A stroke of luck from our family. « 

« I supported her for almost 20 years, and she was never my or Kobe’s personal assistant, nor was she a nanny, » says Vanessa, who is also the mother of daughters Natalia (17), Bianka (4) and Capri Kobe is, 18 months. « I’ve always been a home mom, and my husband and I were our daughters’ full-time caregivers. « 

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« For almost two decades, we made sure my mother could live in our nearby houses for free because she claimed she had no money to buy her own house after her divorce, » she tells PEOPLE in her statement. « My husband and I thought it was best when she didn’t live in our house. She watched our girls from time to time, just like most grandparents. She didn’t care about business matters or expenses. « 

« She was a grandmother who was supported by me and her son-in-law at my request, » claims Vanessa. « She’s going to pay me back $ 96 an hour for allegedly working 12 hours a day for 18 years watching her grandchildren. In reality, she only occasionally babysat my older girls when they were toddlers. 10 years ago our kids were full-time students and athletes, and I didn’t have another child until 2016. Your claims are obviously wrong, but I kept trying to clarify with my mother. « 

She adds, « Contrary to what she says, I haven’t left my children’s side since the accident other than to visit the cemetery to make arrangements. « 

Vanessa says even after her mother claimed in an interview with Univision in September that Vanessa evicted her from a family home and tricked her into returning a car she used – an interview the widow described as « indescribable « said – Vanessa says she was still financially looking after Laine.

« I was looking for a new home for her earlier this year, and a week later she went on TV and gave an interview that belittled our family and made false allegations while living rent-free in a gated apartment complex on the Newport Coast « claims Vanessa. « Even after this betrayal, I was willing to give my mother monthly support for the rest of her life, and that wasn’t good enough. « 

« Instead, she contacted me through intermediaries (contrary to what she claims my phone number has not changed) and asked for $ 5 million, a house and a Mercedes SUV, » claims Vanessa. « Because I did not give in to her hurtful threats and requests for money, she has gotten out of control and makes false and absurd claims. « 

Vanessa adds that Laine « is now trying to get more money than my husband and I ever spent to care for her while he was alive. « She also criticizes the lawsuit as » frivolous, shameful and unimaginably hurtful « . « 

« She doesn’t care how this affects my children and me, » she says, claiming, « She wants to live off my daughters and me for the rest of her life while continuing to collect monthly maintenance from her ex -Employees since 2004. My husband and I have never discouraged or stopped her from looking after herself. « 

« My husband never promised my mother anything, » says Vanessa, « and he would be so disappointed with her behavior and lack of empathy. « . « 

Vanessa Bryant, Kobe Bryant, Sofia Laine