This week, Michael Oher sued Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, nineteen years after they didn’t tell him that they were putting him into a conservatorship. Oher had believed that the Tuohys adopted him when he was a teenager, but they only put him in a conservatorship and scammed him out his life rights. That’s the story, that’s the headline. But attached to that is Oher’s claim that the Tuohys ended up getting millions from The Blind Side. Oher was apparently kept out of the business stuff of the film, so he doesn’t know how much the Tuohys were paid, especially if they had a backend deal. Sean Tuohy claims that he hasn’t even made $40K off of the film, meanwhile sources told People Magazine exclusively that the family actually made about $700,000 from the film. The math isn’t mathing though.
Oher, who played football at the University of Mississippi and was later drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in 2009, alleges in his petition that each of the four members of the Tuohy family were paid $225,000 for the film plus 2.5% of the film’s proceeds. Yet “Michael received nothing,” said Oher’s petition, for a “story that would not have existed without him.”
The Blind Side made over $300 million at the box office and went on to earn a nomination for best picture at the 2010 Academy Awards, with Sandra Bullock taking home the best actress prize. A source close to the film tells PEOPLE the Tuohys have received approximately $700,000 total in rights, payments and profits, which was intended to be divided between the family members — Sean, Leigh Anne, their two biological children and Oher.
“The Tuohys have not received millions of dollars from the movie,” says the source. “They have not even received $1 million from the movie.”
2.5% of the film proceeds, not just box office but DVD sales and rentals, would actually be in the millions. As I said, the math isn’t mathing, and Oher still claims that the family did not, in fact, give him a cut. I also think the Tuohys are focusing so much on how much they made off of the film because they know that focusing too much on their adoption lies makes them look even worse. Meanwhile, the Tuohys hired Marty Singer and Singer is already out here, smearing Oher:
The family at the center of The Blind Side, which chronicles Michael Oher’s life story out of poverty, has accused the retired NFL player of fabricating accusations that they lied about adopting him and cut him out of a deal for the rights to the book the film is based off of. A lawyer for the family says Oher tried to extort them out of $15 million and made the allegations “as a cynical attempt to drum up attention in the middle of his latest book tour.”
In a statement, Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy also confirm Oher’s claim that they negotiated a deal with 20th Century Studios giving them and their two children a lump sum and profit participation from the movie but say that they willingly split the proceeds with Oher.
“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,” says Marty Singer, a lawyer for the family, in a statement issued on Tuesday. “They insisted that any money received be divided equally. And they have made good on that pledge.”
The Tuohys say that they’ve given Oher an “an equal cut of every penny” received from The Blind Side. As part of his alleged extortion effort, he refused to accept his share of the money from the movie deal, the family claims. They say they still deposited the money into a trust account.
The statement also responds to accusations that the Tuohys tricked Oher into signing documents that appointed them as his conservators. They claim they’ve “always been upfront about how a 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 says.
“As part of his alleged extortion effort, he refused to accept his share of the money from the movie deal, the family claims. They say they still deposited the money into a trust account.” So, the Tuohys claim that Oher planned an extortion effort for the better part of fourteen years, refusing to take “his cut” of the film’s profits for all that time because he would eventually sue the Tuohys? It makes no sense because the Tuohys story is bullsh-t. And again, if the conservatorship was a work-around for Oher’s college years and the NCAA rules, then why didn’t the Tuohys petition to remove the conservatorship when Oher graduated from Ole Miss IN 2009?? Why was the conservatorship still an active thing throughout his NFL career and up until today?
Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Avalon Red.
-
- Sean, SJ and Leigh Anne Tuohy of The Blind Side attend the New York Premiere of “The Heat” on June 23,2013 at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. The movie stars Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy, Demian Bichir, Marlon Wayans, Joey McIntyre, Jessica Chaffin, Jamie Denbo, Nate Corddry, Steve Bannos, Spoken Reasons and Adam Ray. photo by Robin Platzer/ Twin Images/ LFI,Image: 545441124, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 917 704 9816 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Robin Platzer/ Twin Images/ LFI / Twin Images / Avalon
-
- Sean, Sean , Jr, Leigh Anne and Collins Tuohy, the family the story is based on arriving at The New York Premiere of “The Blind Side” on November 17, 2009 at The Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Picture by,Image: 547137636, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Robin Platzer/Twin Images / Twin Images / Avalon
-
- February 9, 2011: Baltimore Ravens player Michael Oher appears on the PIX 11Morning News to promote his new book ‘Beat the Odds’ in New York City. Credit: Roger Wong/INFphoto.com Ref: infusny-146|sp| Featuring: Michael Oher Where: New York City, New York, United States When: 09 Feb 2011 Credit: Roger Wong/INFphoto.com
-
- February 9, 2011: Baltimore Ravens player Michael Oher appears on the PIX 11Morning News to promote his new book ‘Beat the Odds’ in New York City. Credit: Roger Wong/INFphoto.com Ref: infusny-146|sp| Featuring: Michael Oher Where: New York City, New York, United States When: 09 Feb 2011 Credit: Roger Wong/INFphoto.com
-
- November 17, 2009: Sean Tuohy, Sean Tuohy, Jr., Leigh Anne Tuohy, and Collins Tuohy attending the New York premiere of ‘The Blind Side’ on in New York City. Credit: B. Ach/INFevents.com Ref.: infusny-84 Featuring: Sean Tuohy, Jr., Leigh Anne Tuohy, Collins Tuohy Where: New York City, New York, United States When: 25 Jun 2009 Credit: B. Ach/INFevents.com
Scumbags
You were kind by just calling them scumbags. What Marty Singer, noted slime bag, needs to remember is that his clients, Leann specifically, has made a fortune off Michael’s name. She has written books about “saving Michael” she has made bank off of a motivational speaking career about “her adopted son, Michael”. These people have signs at each of their Taco Bell franchises that state “owned by the family from the movie, The Blind Side” Not to mention the foundation (I question the pay off of funds but that should be looked at too) that is also based on their saving Michael.
I hope he bankrupts them. Oh, that and the Singer legal bills rake up the rest.
They recently made $200++ million from selling all their franchises, so I doubt he’ll Be able to bankrupt them. I do hope it keeps his name out of their mouths, and that people look at them differently now. I mean, people in Tennessee won’t, but it’ll be harder to sell the Saint narrative they’ve built themselves now.
They just need to shut up and settle. Make it go away. They keep digging themselves into a bigger hole with this BS. Pay the man what he’s owed and move on.
@ Newt But that’s not how doubling down on established white privilege and entitlement works… Besides like they whined they gave him an Equal cut of his own money while equally stealing portions of his money from him. White people math checks out. Poc is only worth fractions of his money, his rights and his worth.
It’s also really freaking stupid to be making any sort of public statement when there is active legal action. They’re terrible. And they keep proving it.
Grubs
These people make Michael’s case for him every time they open their mouths. Grifters can’t help trying to grift even when the gif is so up. These people are such scum
Disgraceful bunch of grifters.
Diabolical selfish people. I am so glad that they have been exposed.
Emily Baker had some interesting takes on her YT channel. Basically after 2009, nothing was done with the conservatorship. It didn’t approve any of the contracts he signed. For the books and NFL contracts. It had no accounting done yearly. I still don’t understand how a billion-dollar organization like the NFL didn’t do the legal vetting and discover he couldn’t sign his own contracts legally. Including the publishing house that he signed with for his two books. HOW did this get by everyone and his own legal representation?
He wrote in 2011 he knew it was a conservatorship, not an adoption. But believed they were basically the same thing. So it’s gross the family is trying to use that as proof as ‘he knew’. He was 18 and knew what he was told. It was like an adoption so he thought he was adopted and legally part of the family. I know at 18 I didn’t have the sophistication for the nuances of Leagalese. The family waived a Guardian Ad Litem for him. So there was no one representing his best interests during this time. I don’t think the book helps them the way they think it will.
I said it before and I will say it again, he was scouted from a High School for being talented. Saw his living situation and used him to help their Alma Mater football team. They didn’t ‘save him’ they didn’t stumble on he was a phenom football player by accident and teach him football. So they could present the narrative in the movie. They did a selfless act to save a child that was homeless on the streets on and off since he was a child. It was about college football, and chasing fame.
I never saw the movie because the white savior-ness of the trailer icked me so much, so I didn’t realize until now that Sean Tuohy is an Ole Miss booster. Knowing what I know about the SEC and Ole Miss in particular, I absolutely believe the family took Oher in because of his ability as a football player. I think their intention all along was to scout him for Ole Miss, and the book and whole ‘we saved him and taught him about football’ stuff was bonus grift.
I very seriously doubt that the NFL cared that he could not sign his own contract. The NFL is a bunch of old white guys making bank off the backs of athletes, most of whom are Black.
Lots of blame here but the majority goes to that sick, f-ed up family. Truly vile garbage.
“He wrote in 2011 he knew it was a conservatorship, not an adoption.”
In a previous posting on this subject someone said, “facts are coming out such as in Michaels book in 2011 he said he knew it was a conservatorship.”
My response: Oh really? What’s the quote?
From Michael Lewis’ Blind Side book (c2007, 2006), search for conservator* gets zero hits.
But there are multiple search hits on adopt*, such as on p262:
“Leigh Ann and Sean explained to him that, if he had any intention of going to Ole Miss, they really ought to go through the process of formally adopting him, so that the many gifts they had already bestowed on him might not be construed as boosters’ graft, but parental love.”
And on p510, at a Briarcrest Christian School football practice, after the team’s fallen on hard times, the football coach sees Sean Tuohy eyeballing pass rushing defensive end, Greg Hardy; he sidles up and asks Tuohy: “You gonna adopt this one too?” To which Sean replies, “I don’t know. I’m waiting to see how good he is.”
So when I see people saying “He wrote in 2011 he knew it was a conservatorship, not an adoption” and “facts are coming out such as in Michaels book in 2011” he “knew it was a conservatorship…” – proof?
Facts should include citations.
It seems clear he knew it was a conservatorship and not a legal adoption. BUT it also seems clear that he thought the conservatorship as presented was a de facto adoption. That is, he was legally a member of their family. It seems that lie, more than the monetary issues, are at the heart of his anger and feelings of betrayal.
It also seems clear that the conservatorship didn’t function like Britney Spears’s for instance. It seems isolated to the time around the book setting through his college years. There were no letters of conservatorship filed. They didn’t sign things like his nfl contract or licensing deals.
They got what they needed and just let Michael (and millions of others) continue thinking he was legally their son. And made a lot of money doing so from that impression.
BQM –
“It seems clear he knew it was a conservatorship and not a legal adoption” = unsupported assertion.
Proof?
The thing is they could have just adopted him even though he was 18. The law allows for adoption of adults. Why set up a conservatorship when that is something usually reserved for people incapable of caring for themselves?
Because they never saw him as part of the family. I feel so sad for him. I hope he takes them to the cleaners!
Because if you adopted an adult child you don’t get to be In charge of their likeness, their name, their money. You don’t get to do it for your biological children once they turn 18 either. This is clear cut intent to defraud. I am a little tired about the “money from the movie” aspect. These people have been making money off his name as recent as last week. Leann makes bank in writing books, and giving motivational speeches about her adopted “son” That is what the accounting is for. They used his name, likeness, and story on their Taco Bell, their franchises, their foundation.etc. They have made a nice little reputation over their ‘saving a boy’ who didn’t need to be saved. What really upset me was the comment by the author who laughed at the fact Michael made dean’s list at Ole Miss saying it said more about Ole’ Miss than Micheal, making light of his hard work & accomplishment
Every time Marty Singer is representing someone, I immediately assume they are guilty.
You are not alone.
Me too–“tell me you’re a POS without telling me you’re a POS.”
I keep seeing the same two omissions when reading information about this story. One, a settlement demand is NOT an “extortion attempt.” It is a part of the orderly process of filing suit. It is informing the other side of your belief that they bear responsibility for your harm, and offering them an opportunity to correct that prior to you filing suit.
Two, Michael Oher is ALSO alleging that, in addition to the money made directly from the film, the Tuohy’s have profited since the book (and especially since the movie) off of his likeness, story, and image without his consent and without paying him. This is certainly true, as Leigh Ann would be just another blonde with crazy eyes without the Oher connection. Nobody would be booking her to speak or donating to her “foundation” without her fraudulent, whitewashed version of Michael’s life story elevating her profile.
Michael Oher was always going to make it in the NFL, with or without their help, but the Tuohy’s would NOT have the level of fame and other benefits they enjoy without their exploitation of Michael.
Same with Steve Farese being co-council. Everyone in Memphis knows that if you are a criminal defendant and you hire Steve Farese or Leslie Ballin…well..
Why on earth was Michael’s story split into payouts for the entire Tuohy family? That’s a grift right there.
This.
I’ve seen so many blue checks on twitter claiming the Tuohy’s are so very very rich which means they obviously didn’t need to use Oher to make more money. If that’s the case, why did they keep ANY of it? Much less give a share to their bio kids???
Grifter’s gonna grift.
Anyone can purchase a blue check on twitter these days.
They’re not only grifters, they’re idiots.
This part feels a little off to me. The Tuohys were all in the book and screenplay as themselves so technically they would have rights to their life being presented on screen too. It feels like an “eat the rich” disproportionate level request where Oher’s legal team knows it might not stick but it gets them access if discovery goes ahead to rinse ALL the family’s accounts.
“nineteen years after they didn’t tell him that they were putting him into a conservatorship.”
Hold up a second, because he writes in his book that he was fully aware of the “legal conservatorship”. The problem appears to be how it was explained and represented to him (he literally uses the words “legal conservators” and talks about it being explained to him as “because of his age”). So the real question here is what kind of independent advice and representation did he have through all of this.
These kind of clarifications will be key if this moves forward legally. Honestly I’m starting to get a bit concerned as to if his people are on the ball: “He didn’t know about the conservatorship!” And a book he wrote is publicly available with wording contradicting this? Huh? Does he have anyone reliable?
From what I understand re: the wording is that he was told “a conservatorship is like adoption” so he was told what was going to be done, but the full legal ramifications were not explained. I don’t think he received legal advice independent of the Tuohys which is suspect enough, and definitely a conflict of interest given all the information he was getting about the conservatorship was coming from someone who could benefit from it at his expense.
I wonder if it was explained to him as more of a we are taking legal responsibility for you, because you’re not 18, and someone needs to be able to give authority to do things since you aren’t of age, it also means that we have to take care of you.
Well yes technically that is what it means, it’s not exactly the same as adoption, and doesn’t have an end date. A kiddo wouldn’t know that, hell most people might not know that if you explained it in that way.
Unless he received ILA independent legal advice, there remains a huge issue that he was never properly explained what was being done and the consequences. This family took advantage of him and it doesn’t matter what he said in a book later on if he was never told the real thing originally. And by 2011 the conservatorship still existed, well after he left college.
Singer is trying to spin this, but there are many red flags for this even existing in the first place.
It sounds to me like he knew it was a “conservatorship” but did not know what a conservatorship was. Like someone might tell you they’re a operations control processor, but that still doesn’t mean you know what that job IS, you just know that this person is an operations control processor.
If they passed it off as a conservatorship being the same as an adoption, then its a big problem.
He thought he was adopted. “Conservators” doesn’t mean much to anyone, especially if you’re told it is just a technicality. And even if they truly cared about this young man, they did not abolish the conservatorship – that’s truly evil. They fed off of him like the leeches they are.
I’d love to see the receipts on him having independent counsel – I don’t think anyone is even claiming that. They took advantage of a kid and any spin is just as gross as that family is.
That’s a lot of words which could have been boiled down to “how dare the slave we bought complain about how we treated him and kept his money from him.”
The people are terrible. Why are they fighting this just give Michael what he’s owed and be done with it.
I want to know if they had access to his NFL money.
No, there is no proof they took a cut of anything after the Blindside Book and Movies. It was basically a piece of paper after 2009 that everyone ignored legally.
I really wish people can understand the Tuhoys are RICH RICH, they weren’t trying to get his nickels when they have dollars. Their motives were college football and chasing fame.
Even Michael signed massive NFL contracts and won a Superbowl. Allegedly his personal net worth is 15-20 million. Hoping he got a good financial planner in place to help him. Since there are many known professional football players that file for bankruptcy about 5 years after retirement.
They need to just dissolve the conservatorship, have a full forensic accounting done of earnings for the book and movies. Apologize, stop using him to promote themselves as white saviors.
Exactly.
I wonder if it’s more about him trying to stop them from using him for their own gain without his consent.
This! Have said it before, but the boosters for big college football programs are worse than the most fantatical Swiftie or Beyhiver. They will do anything to help their schools get the best recruits (esp if they are also potential NFLr’s), donate tons of $$ to the athletic department (but only for football), influence coaching hires (and fires), have also been known to pressure faculty about grades, and so on. Saw it first hand working at U Texas during Chris Simms, Vince Young, Ricky Williams eras.
You seem pretty certain that they stopped the grift after the movie. But they’re still getting residuals from that.
Discovery should be pretty interesting when this finally goes to court.
Except they did in fact take his nickels and give them to their two bio kids when they have dollars.
Flamingo, it goes beyond the book and movie. They have capitalized on Michael’s name and image. I saw one video of Sean and his daughter giving a speech about whatever and using Michael as the focus for same. Every time any family member used Michael, his image and story, they made money. They should have to account for every cent of this money and they should pay him for the use of his name and image IF HE DECIDES TO DO SO. He could go after every penny in my opinion. These people are rich dregs of society.
“I really wish people can understand the Tuhoys are RICH RICH, they weren’t trying to get his nickels when they have dollars. Their motives were college football and chasing fame.” LOL 🙄
Most rich people I’ve met always want more money.
Tuohys could be motivated by fame, football AND money.
Noted on Tuohy website earlier that Leigh Ann Tuohy speaking fees were priced at $50-$100K, but that info has since disappeared. Links to All American Entertainment Speakers Bureau for Ms Tuohy are broken now.
Gee, wonder why Oher petitioned court to make Tuohys keep his name outta their mouths.
**For the books, movies, AND the additional enrichment the family received by virtue of this story being co-opted into the national consciousness. I.e., ALL of the financial gains they made that were related to their being “the Blind Side family.” Speaker’s fees, books published, foundation chairmanship salaries, all of it.
If they did put his money in a trust, then no problem just release the funds. But…. I get the feeling that they either didn’t do that or they raided the trust and there’s nothing left.
Trusts aren’t all that easy to access if they’re done properly, removing monies isn’t as easy as transferring funds from a brokerage or bank account. And again, these charming ppl have plenty of money, so as much as I think they’re shady, I don’t believe they would “raid” a trust in Oher’s name.
Oof that white supremacy is a hell of a drug
But why would they put the money in a trust anyway? Just give him the money. Did they put it into a trust for the other children as well?
They’re saying they put the $14,000.00 they’re claiming was his “rightful share” of the movie proceeds in a trust. He’s saying, “that’s nice, but that’s not a drop in the bucket to what I’m owed, so let’s talk about that instead of y’all insulting me with this lowball figure.”
Marty Singer has shown he is perfectly willing to defend people who do absolutely heinous things, and employs tactics like smearing victims, deliberately misrepresenting the truth, and cherrypicking “facts” in the public arena as his tools of choice. I doubt he would say any of what he’s said in the courtroom, but he’s not bound by professional ethics when talking to the press. He’s incredibly successful because he’s willing to play dirty, and anytime someone hires him, it’s like a giant, blinking, neon sign reading “GUILTY.”
Ugh, another immoral unethical family and conservatorship!!! You must be some special kind of evil to trick a young talented boy into signing into a conservatorship by lying to him about an adoption and a promise for a family. I feel so bad for Michael Oher. His lawyer did a deep dive into those filings. I hope Michael get all the money coming to him. F8ck the Tuohys.
An ESPN article mentions that early on, the Tuohys were represented by CAA — while Oher was represented separately by the Tuohy’s family friend “Aunt Debbie” . That immediately clouded everything else I’ve read and heard. Why was Oher not also represented by CAA with the rest of the / “his” family? So basically, no one was independently protecting Oher’s interests.
I’m also curious about his status as a minor living with the Tuohy’s. Was a guardian ad litem ever involved? Did anyone ever do anything to ensure that Oher’s well-being was being protected— or was it just assumed that the rich white folks were unquestionably the powers in charge of everything that had to do with Oher, his decisions, and his life trajectory?
“Net profits” means nothing. That is profits after the studio takes its share. And that share is everything. Look up “Hollywood accounting.” It’s a total scam. Monster hits have never shown a profit. One of the Harry Potter films showed over a 150M loss, when it had grossed over a billion dollars. People only see money when they sue and get a settlement.
My guess here is that the millions Oher is looking for is from the money that the family made from lying and telling people he was adopted. Because they certainly have been representing this conservatorship as an adoption when grifting, writing more books and doing speaking gigs. There is an entire evangelical white savior adoption industry and they seem to have been raking in big bucks by misrepresenting their relationship with Oher. I think that’s why what he thought or knew at the time isn’t that important. He knew what they were telling everyone else and thought that they weren’t lying. That’s why he “misunderstood.” They were telling everyone else that he had been adopted, so he thought he was adopted.
And Michael Lewis appears to be headed to Canceltown. Sad all around.
I was looking for this comment. I’m not defending the Tuohy’s but there’s a lot about film accounting that the general public doesn’t understand. 2.5% backend after $300M net isn’t going to be millions after production costs, marketing, distribution, etc. The 700k number does sound realistic though.
This whole thing just smells. Obviously there are additional racial dynamics here to consider, but it reminds me of reading Wil Wheaton’s updated and annotated biography where he talks about how his family financially abused him for decades. Ran everything through an LLC (not uncommon for entertainment and sports figures,) paid themselves tons of His Money, and told him there was nothing there when he needed it. You trust people who are family, or who you think are family, because that’s what they told you.
If what various sides are claiming is backed up in court I take a middle-of-the road view. I think the family wanted him to play for Ole Miss AND cared about him and helped him financially. The legal step they took is faster than adoption approval – I know this as an adoptive parent. They shared equally the proceeds of the movie as it was a film about all of them and would not have been made without Michael and the Touys. They are rich but so is he. The mom’s instagram shows he was at least in touch with them through 2016 as he was in the daughter’s wedding. As time went on his resentment of how he was presented in the movie grew – understandably – and perhaps as his career ended he was looking for ways to make money and all this in the face of getting tired of the relationship. I think they had his best interests at heart and he loved them. Through a later lense he sees things differently. They aren’t perfect and exploited their fame but at least some of that was clearly to do what they saw as charitable work. Someone said they are so rich they should just give him the $15 million he demanded – if that’s true. Well I disagree. They are no doubt hurt and frankly why should they give someone $15 million on demand , child or otherwise. Maybe this isn’t true. Just sayin they, too, have a right to defend themselves.
@Liz Tuohy’s is that you???? That’s a lot of words to say I believe the white people. If they LoVEd him so much, why didn’t they ensure that he had adequate legal representation during both the conservatorship process and the film negotiations? If the Touhy’s have been so willing to share the riches with Oher all along, why haven’t they been writing him any checks?
Hmm. I don’t think I said I only believe them. I don’t know. But I certainly don’t think they are lying just because they are white. They said that he did get an equal part of the movie and books proceeds. He says that he did not. Do you know for a fact who is right? I don’t. I assume we will find out in court. And, as I said, as an adoptive parent I do know that it takes time for an adoption to go through, so it seems plausible to me that they took the steps they took at the time to be conservators (which honestly is not something I know about) in order to facilitate driver’s license, doctors, college admission – I don’t remember what else they stated. Sorry, I am just not as willing as some are to assume these are evil people. But I’m not saying they are angels. They say he tried a shakedown. Maybe they are lying. But maybe they aren’t. If he did, he should be ashamed. If they are lying, then they should be.
Liz, they should never have made a business and raked in the dough off of Michael’s name and story–which it sounds like they made up as well. That conservatorship made it possible for them to do so without his consent to use his name or image.
Since they’re so rich, why did they do this? Since they’re so rich, why did they make money off of this? If they’re so rich, why did they LIE to the world about adopting him? The problem with being rich for some people is that you never have enough money and you’re always looking to get more. That’s what it seems they have done here.
I found the MAGA! As an adoptive parent you should also know how important it is to actually adopt your child!!!
Are you referring to me? Are you saying that I am a MAGA because I don’t jump out and assume one side over the other? Nope, I voted for Joe. Michael was not a child at 18 so not sure what your point is.
It’s increasingly apparent that Michael Oher never had independent legal representation or advice. Massive conflict of interests for the lawyers involved. This raises questions about the judge involved in approving the conservatorship. Gonna be a lot of questions to be answered by all the folks involved.
Brassy Rebel, the Judge is retired and when questioned he said that the Clerk’s office is the one who is supposed to flag conservatorship files and send to the Judge. As a retired paralegal, I can confirm that’s how it works where I am. He said there was a very high number of these files and obviously they slip through the cracks. He also said that he was interested in the information that would be produced in the lawsuit regarding the accounting, etc.
J, I guess you completely missed the fact that the Touhy’s conduct and EVERYTHING they did throughout the years falls under the heading of white savior. The fact that you don’t see that or refuse to see that tells me much.
The only ones who the Touhys helped was themselves.
Sad, but true: Mofos will continue to be mofos. They’re on the attack now and TMZ seems to be representing them as faux-lawyers.
I listened to a lawyer on YouTube who obtained the court documents. He isn’t actually suing the family. He is petitioning the court to end the conservatorship and is demanding an accounting of the money. Apparently, every year the family was supposed to submit accounts to the court and they never did. So basically, he wants to find out how much money disappeared. Then, he might sue to retrieve stolen funds. If you want to listen to the lawyer her channel is Emily D. Baker.
My maternal grandfather foolishly sent my aunt two checks meant for my brother and I before he died. My aunt was supposed to forward them onto us. Supposedly they were a share of the estate for my brother and I. Somehow my aunt cashed them. I didn’t hear about the checks until decades later. My parents knew and didn’t tell us for decades. Their reasoning was they didn’t want to alienate the other side of the family by taking my aunt to court. I have never been so angry ever. My cousins always cheated at board games and lied to my brother and I as children. Two out of the three of them also were very bossy. My brother and I didn’t care if they were offended. My grandparents were the millionaire next door and my parents wouldn’t tell my brother and I how large the checks were. Since my humble living grandparents died with a multimillion dollar estate, those two checks could’ve been large. My point is never trust people just because you call them family.
Oher was on good terms with the Tuohys until a few years ago. He was at their daughters wedding and followed them on social media. I think that stopped around 2020. The idea that he knew exactly what the conservatorship entailed but was waiting it out for 14 years to spring these allegations on them is ridiculous.
Isn’t there a reference to the conservatorship in Oher’s book?
For whatever reason he seems to have forgotten once being aware that there was a conservatorship and telling the world about it in his book.
If the Tuohy’s extorted or controlled him via this conservatorship that is disgraceful but he was clearly aware of it in his words
This was screenshotted on X today
His portrayal as someone with educational or learning difficulties seems an absolute fantasy and horrifying