(Scypre.com) – An attorney representing Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy has made a significant statement, asserting that former NFL player Michael Oher made a threat to tarnish the reputation of the Tennessee family unless they paid him $15 million.
Marty Singer, a prominent California attorney, has vehemently denied the accusations made against the Tuohy family by Oher in his petition to terminate their conservatorship, describing them as “hurtful and ludicrous.”
Singer stated, “It is evident to anyone with a shred of common sense that the extravagant claims made by Michael Oher regarding the Tuohy family are both hurtful and absurd. The notion that the Tuohys ever sought to profit from Mr. Oher is not just offensive; it is blatantly preposterous.”
He continued, “Sean and Leigh Anne have amassed significant wealth in the restaurant business through hard work and good fortune. The idea that a couple worth hundreds of millions would conspire to withhold a few thousand dollars in profit participation payments from someone they consider a son is beyond belief.”
Oher, who was a first-round draft pick for the Baltimore Ravens in 2009, filed a petition in a Tennessee court to terminate the 2004 conservatorship. He alleged that he discovered in February 2023 that he was never legally adopted by the family. Oher claimed that he agreed to the conservatorship, believing it was a form of adoption due to his age at the time. He also asserted that the family profited significantly from the 2009 film “The Blind Side” while he did not.
The family’s attorney refuted this claim, stating that they had provided Oher “an equal share of every penny” earned from the movie, which grossed over $300 million.
Singer explained, “When Michael Lewis, a lifelong friend of Sean’s, was approached to turn his book about Mr. Oher and the Tuohys into a movie about their family, his agents negotiated a deal where they received a modest advance from the production company and a small percentage of net profits. They insisted on an equal distribution of any funds received, a commitment they upheld.” Singer also accused Oher of using threats to extract $15 million from the Tuohys, warning them that he would plant a damaging story about them in the media.
These developments came after comments made by Sean “SJ” Tuohy Jr., the biological son of Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, who suggested during an interview that text messages between Oher and the family hinted that he may have known about his non-legal adoption status as early as 2020.
Singer emphasized that the family had been transparent about the conservatorship’s origin and purpose, and they would not oppose its termination if Oher chose to do so. He concluded, “The Tuohys hold genuine concern for Mr. Oher. They are deeply saddened by these events and sincerely hope that he reconsiders his recent decisions, makes different choices in the future, and that reconciliation becomes possible. In the meantime, they are committed to defending their reputation, standing up against this extortion attempt, and prevailing in this offensive lawsuit.”