Elder Abuse Charges Filed Against Stan Lee’s Former Manager

Stan Lee’s former business partner and manager, Keya Morgan, has been charged with several counts of elder abuse.

First reported by TMZ, Morgan was charged in Los Angeles last Friday with five counts of elder abuse, including felony allegations of theft, embezzlement, forgery or fraud against an elder adult, and false imprisonment of an elder adult, along with a misdemeanor count of elder abuse. A warrant has been issued for Morgan’s arrest.

Morgan, a memorabilia dealer from New York, first entered Lee’s circle in 2017 and became Lee’s business manager in February 2018 after Lee fired attorney Tom Lallas. That same month, there was a police investigation of elder abuse, and Lallas later filed a restraining order against Morgan, suggesting that Lee’s physical impairments made him unable to resist “undue influence”.

In July 2018, Lee sent an e-mail to The Guardian, saying, “I’m doing much better and I’m glad I have daughter JC helping looking after me. I’m looking forward to my new business opportunities and other adventures I have planned.”

According to attorney Kirk Schenck in a July 2018 article in The Guardian, Lee’s daughter JC found herself dealing with multiple men who tried to insert themselves into Lee’s businesses after the death of Lee’s wife Joan in July 2017. “For years, JC and Joan were very protective of Stan’s finances,” says Schenck, who represents JC. “He was the creative type who preferred to delegate the management of the family’s money.”

The restraining order filed by Lallas was voided in court on the grounds that Lallas was not employed by Lee at the time, but Lee’s legal team filed a new restraining order against Morgan, claiming that he had mishandled more than $5 million and had tried to isolate Lee from his family. The restraining order demanded that Morgan stay away from Lee, JC, and Lee’s brother.

On Monday, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office told Reuters that it was unable to provide any additional information in the case.

Attorney Alex Kessel says that Morgan is not guilty and has never mistreated Lee. “He has never abused or taken advantage of Mr. Lee in any way,” Kessel said in an email, according to USA Today. “We expect him to be completely exonerated of all charges.”

Lee passed away in November at age 95 due to heart failure and respiratory issues, according to the death certificate.

More details as they develop.