SAN DIEGO (AP) — One of the brothers sued by the wife of late San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler for control of the team says her allegations of wrongdoing are untrue.
Sheel Seidler sued brothers-in-law Matthew and Robert Seidler on Monday, attempting to prevent another brother, John, from taking control of the team rather than her. Sheel alleged Peter Seidler, who died at age 63 on Nov. 14, 2023, wanted her to succeed him as the team's control person.
“Sheel’s claims against Bob and me are entirely untrue, and we will vigorously defend ourselves against them,” Matthew Seidler said in a letter posted Tuesday on the website of the Peter Seidler Trust. “The false accusations in her complaint will not distract the Padres organization from continuing its great momentum on and off the field in San Diego.”
The suit comes while the Padres are among the teams recruiting Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki.
In a petition filed in Travis County Probate Court in Austin, Texas, Sheel Seidler sued Matthew, who became executor of Peter Seidler’s estate last year, and Robert, the prior executor. She claimed fiduciary breaches of trust, fraud, conversion and egregious acts of self-dealing.
“Peter left the designation of the next permanent control person in the hands of the trustee of his trust, rather than naming a specific individual,” Matthew Seidler wrote. “Peter named three of his siblings to serve as his successor trustees in this order: first Bob, then me, and then our oldest brother John. ... Bob resigned as trustee in May of 2024 due to a personal health matter in his family, a situation which Sheel has sadly attempted to exploit. Upon Bob’s resignation, I became the trustee.”
San Diego said on Dec. 21 that John will become the control person, a move that Major League Baseball owners have not yet approved. The Seidler brothers are grandsons of late Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley
“She may be disappointed that Peter did not designate her as the trustee of his trust, name her as the Padres’ control person, and/or give her the right to approve the control person. Had Peter intended any of these things, he could have easily made that intention clear in the governing documents,” Matthew Seidler wrote. “John has a lifelong history of involvement with baseball and decades of accomplishment as a founder and operator of successful businesses. ... I believe his business experience, proven leadership qualities, and love for the Padres equip him to guide the team as Peter’s successor. We have every reason to believe John’s appointment will be welcomed by the other Padres owners and expeditiously approved by MLB and the owners of the other MLB clubs.”
Matthew denied an allegation in Sheel's petition that “Matt’s efforts to promote his brother John as control person and to block Sheel may well be part of his efforts to sell, and perhaps relocate, the team, over Sheel’s strident objections.”
“This is completely false. It is also laughable,” Matthew wrote. “To clarify the record without ambiguity, relocating the Padres from San Diego has never been discussed or contemplated.”
Lawyers for Sheel responded to Matthew's statement, denying his assertion that Peter didn't want her to be the control person, denying she told Matthew that John should be the control person and saying an MLB form she signed acknowledged no one can become a control person without MLB approval.
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FILE - San Diego Padres Chairman Peter Seidler speaks at a news conference to announce finalizing a contract with Xander Bogaerts, Friday, Dec. 9, 2022, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Wildfires that ripped through the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles forced many Hollywood stars, including Mark Hamill, Mandy Moore and James Woods, to evacuate their homes.
California firefighters are battling wind-whipped fires tearing across the area, destroying homes, clogging roadways as tens of thousands fled and straining resources as the fires burned uncontained early Wednesday.
The Pacific Palisades neighborhood is a hillside area along the coast dotted with celebrity residences and memorialized by the Beach Boys in their 1960s hit “Surfin’ USA.” In the frantic haste to get to safety, roadways became impassable when scores of people abandoned their vehicles and fled on foot, some toting suitcases.
“Evacuated Malibu so last minute,” wrote Hamill in an Instagram post Tuesday night. “Small fires on both sides of the road as we approached (the Pacific Coast Highway).”
Less than 72 hours before, Hollywood’s highest-wattage stars had convened to walk the Golden Globes’ red carpet, the first major event of the exuberant and, for many, triumphant awards season. The revelry of awards season had quickly been snuffed out, too: Premieres of contenders like “Better Man” and “The Last Showgirl” were canceled, the Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations were announced via press release instead of at a live event and weekend events like the AFI Awards were preemptively scrubbed.
The Oscar nominations are also being delayed two days to Jan. 19 and the film academy has extended the voting window to accommodate members affected by the fires.
Here's how celebrities and entertainment companies are being impacted by the fires burning in and around Los Angeles:
Jamie Lee Curtis said Wednesday on Instagram that her family is safe, but she suggested her neighborhood and possibly her home is on fire. She said many of her friends lost their homes.
“It's a terrifying situation and I'm grateful to the firefighters and all of the good Samaritans who are helping people get out of the way of the blaze."
Other stars who have homes in the area include Adam Sandler, Ben Affleck, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.
Many are awaiting word on whether their homes survived the flames.
Mandy Moore said her family evacuated too and has since tried to shield her kids from the “immense sadness and worry” that she currently feels.
“So gutted for the destruction and loss,” she posted in her Instagram story. “Don't know if our place made it.”
Woods posted footage Tuesday of flames burning through bushes and past palm trees on a hill near his home. The towering orange flames billowed among the landscaped yards between the homes.
“Standing in my driveway, getting ready to evacuate,” Woods said in the short video on X. Later, he confirmed he had evacuated and added: “It tests your soul, losing everything at once, I must say.”
Officials didn’t give an estimate of structures damaged or destroyed in the wildfire, but they said at least 70,000 residents were under evacuation orders and nearly 30,000 structures were under threat.
The fire burned down Temescal Canyon, a popular hiking area surrounded by dense neighborhoods of multimillion-dollar homes. Flames jumped famous Sunset Boulevard and burned parts of the Palisades Charter High School, which has been featured in many Hollywood productions including the 1976 horror movie “Carrie,” the 2003 remake of “Freaky Friday” and the TV series “Teen Wolf.”
The Palisades fire also destroyed the historic ranch house that belonged to Hollywood legend Will Rogers. It was among multiple structures destroyed at both Will Rogers State Historic Park and Topanga State Park. The historic Topanga Ranch Motel, built by William Randolph Hearst in 1929, also burned down.
Rogers’ ranch, built on land he bought in the 1920s, occupied some 359 acres in what is now Pacific Palisades. It included a 31-room ranch house, a stable, golf course and riding trails. His wife donated it to California State Parks in 1944.
The Critics Choice Awards, originally scheduled for Sunday, have been postponed until Feb. 26.
Film studios canceled two movie premieres due to the fire and windy weather, the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park closed for the day due to the smoky and windy conditions and the J. Paul Getty Trust said two of its museums, the Getty Villa and Getty Center, would remain closed for the next few days.
Universal Studios also canceled shooting for numerous series, including “Hacks,” “Ted Lasso” and “Suits LA.”
The Walt Disney Co. closed its headquarters in Burbank, and canceled production on several series, including “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Doctor Odyssey.” ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” which tapes in Hollywood, was canceled for Wednesday and will instead air a repeat.
The production pauses added to further disruptions to the film and TV industry in Los Angeles, including the cancellation of the premiere to Universal’s “Wolf Man” and postponement of the American Film Institute awards gala, scheduled for Friday.
Crew members carry out signs for the new film "Wolf Man" after the premiere was cancelled due to high winds in the area on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
A firefighter battles the Palisades Fire as it burns a structure in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
