Bryan Seaver, Dolly Parton’s nephew and longtime head of security, is responding to allegations outlined in a lawsuit filed by Parton’s former manager, Danny Nozell.
The legal dispute has drawn attention following claims that Seaver made threatening statements toward employees connected to She’s Alive, LLC, the company associated with Parton’s entertainment interests.
Seaver has denied that he threatened anyone. In a statement to ABC, he described the restraining-order request as “spurious” and characterized it as a publicity stunt. He also maintained that the people mentioned in the dispute are friends, brothers, and colleagues.
A judge nevertheless granted Nozell’s request for a restraining order. Under the order, Seaver is prohibited from coming within 1,000 feet of or communicating with individuals from She’s Alive.
THE MESSAGE AT THE CENTER OF ATTENTION
Among the communications cited in the legal filing was a message attributed to Seaver that read, “I’m not an entertainment person. I’m a killer.”
The lawsuit also reportedly referenced statements in which Seaver discussed his past career in international arms dealing. One allegation described him claiming that he had brokered a $27 million deal involving Haiti on the same day Parton died.
Those claims remain allegations contained in the legal dispute, and Seaver has disputed the characterization of his conduct.
The controversy comes shortly after Parton’s death on August 25, 2026, at age 80. Seaver, who had served as head of security for Parton’s properties for more than two decades, was reportedly dismissed from that role in September. PEOPLE reported that a termination letter dated September 16 confirmed the change, while Seaver publicly expressed his objections to the decision.
A FAMILY MEMBER AT THE CENTER OF A GROWING DISPUTE
Seaver has remained closely connected to Parton’s estate and security operations for many years. He was also the family member who publicly announced Parton’s death in an emotional social-media video.
The current legal battle is unfolding during a sensitive period for Parton’s family and business interests as questions surrounding the management of her legacy continue.
For now, the restraining order remains in place, while the allegations and Seaver’s response continue to receive attention.
The dispute has added another complicated chapter to the period following Parton’s death, with both sides presenting sharply different accounts of what happened behind the scenes.