Cher pushes for control of her son’s finances amid drug fears
Superstar singer applies for ‘conservatorship’ over Elijah Allman in light of his heroin addiction
‘You never stop being a mom – you go to the end when you’re trying to save your children’
CHER is attempting to take control of her son’s finances amid fears over his alleged drug abuse and mental health.
The singer and songwriter, 77, has applied to a court for “conservatorship” over Elijah Allman, 47, whom she said is “substantially unable to manage his financial resources”.
Legal documents seen by US media claim that a conservator is “urgently needed” to protect Mr Allman’s property ahead of receiving a trust due to be released to him at the end of this year. It said Cher was “concerned that any funds distributed to Elijah will immediately be spent on drugs, leaving Elijah with no assets to provide for himself, and putting Elijah’s life at risk”.
A conservatorship is often granted for individuals who are unable to make their own decisions, such as those suffering from dementia or other mental illnesses. It can be used to manage people’s financial affairs and assets, and its controversial use in relation to Britney Spears recently triggered an angry backlash from fans.
Cher’s attempt to take control of her son’s business dealings, which include royalties from his late musician father, comes after she was accused of “kidnapping” him during a messy divorce with his ex-wife. Mr Allman, Cher’s son with the rock musician Gregg Allman, began using drugs aged 11 and has spoken openly about his heroin addiction.
The report, filed at Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, said that Cher, 77, has “worked tirelessly to get Elijah into treatment and get him the help he needs”.
“[Cher] loves Elijah immensely and has always acted with his best interests in mind,” the filing added.
It said that she has been “unable to discuss his preferences concerning the appointment of a temporary conservator” because of his “current mental and physical health issues”.
US media has reported that a hearing for a temporary order will be held Jan 5, with a hearing on a permanent order set for March 6.
Cher recently denied accusations that she hired four men to kidnap Mr Allman from a hotel in New York City.
Mr Allman’s wife, Marieangela King, alleged that the incident occurred when the pair were attempting to reconcile, claiming that the men removed him from a hotel room.
“After spending these 12 days together in NY… four people came to our hotel room and removed [Allman] from our room,” Ms King wrote in a divorce court filing that emerged three months ago.
She added that she was “told by one of the four men who took him that they were hired by [Allman’s] mother”.
Cher said that the claims were a “rumour” in an interview with the New York Post. “You never stop being a mom – you go to the end, you go to the mattresses when you’re trying to save your children. But I didn’t do it. And if I did it, I wouldn’t care to tell you,” she said.
Mr Allman recently shared a post on Instagram with the hashtag “#imprisonmentviaconservatorship”.
Cher spoke of Mr Allman’s addiction issues in an interview with People magazine. “I’m not suffering from any problem that millions of people in the United States aren’t,” she said. “I’m a mother. This is my job... to try to help my children. You do anything for your children. Whenever you can help them, you just do it because that’s what being a mother is. But it’s joy, even with heartache – mostly, when you think of your children, you just smile and you love them, and you try to be there for them.”