Source: Gabe Ginsberg / Getty
Last year, a shocking video of legendary actress Nichelle Nichols screaming at her son Kyle Johnson that he was” trying to get rid of her” hit the internet.
The video was leaked by Nichols’ friend and manager Gilbert Bell who claimed that Nichols ,who is living with dementia, was the victim of elder abuse.
But Nichols’ family members have alleged that it was Bell who is abusing her.
Nichols sister, Marian Smothers is asking “Star Trek” fans to come together and support Nichols.
Smothers set up a Go Fund Me campaign called “Shields Up, Nichelle Nichols” to raise money for the costs of the actress to defend herself in the legal battle between Bell and Johnson.
Smothers is attempting to maintain the conservatorship that Johnson has with his mother. She alleges that Bell began abusing Nichols by befriending her in 2010 under the guise of partnering with her on a film project. She claims Bell moved in Nichols’ guest house to work on the project but it never happened.
She says that Johnson still lives in the home under a fraudulent lease, essentially paying nothing. Nichols pays utilities and he refuses to leave the property.
She claims that the video was staged in order to be leaked to media outlets.
They believe Bell has swindled her out of over a million dollars.
Meanwhile Bell has sued Johnson for emotional distress, denial of utility services, elder abuse, assault, and breach of contract.
Johnson has countersued Bell for elder abuse, fraud, theft, and other allegations of swindling Nichols out of assets.
According to the LA Sentinel, “The countersuit charges Bell with consistent, tortious, malfeasant, and callous conduct as he ‘took advantage of a highly respected woman when she was vulnerable’ and continued as her health and circumstances declined,” as stated in the release. “The countersuit alleges that in 2012, Bell temporarily moved into a second house on Nichols’ property and continues to live in the house under a fraudulent lease and a succeeding fraudulent reverse mortgage.”
Smothers writes: “As a fan and admirer of Nichelle, we ask for your support by donating towards the accumulated and ongoing legal fees to defend her and ensure the continuing
conservatorship by her son, Kyle. These funds are necessary for defending Nichelle from Gilbert Bell’s baseless but damaging suit, our counter-suit and associated expenses of discovery, trial, etc, and to recover all or some of what he has stolen and mitigate the damage he has inflicted upon her. We appeal to your generosity and appreciate your support in any amount. Please share this on your Facebook, Twitter, and other social media accounts. If you would consider more active participation, please contact us.”
You can donate the Go Fund Me campaign, which has already raised over $83,000 of their $200,000 goal.
