Vanessa Bryant says mother is trying to extort her with lawsuit

Vanessa Bryant has accused her mother Sofia Laine of trying to “extort a financial windfall” from her through a “frivolous” and “disgraceful” lawsuit after the death of her husband Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna.

According to court documents obtained by USA TODAY Sports and filed Tuesday in California, Laine is seeking financial support from her daughter, alleging that she worked unpaid as a “longtime personal assistant and nanny” for the Bryant family. Laine claims that prior to Kobe Bryant’s death, he promised to “take care of” the 68-year-old for the “rest of her life.”

People was first to report on the lawsuit.

“Unfortunately, Kobe Bryant’s promises did not see the light of day as he is now deceased, and Vanessa Bryant took each and every step she could to void and cancel all of Kobe Bryant’s promises made to (Laine),” the complaint reads. “Vanessa Bryant did not intend to honor any of the Bryants’ representations, agreements and promises at any stage.”

In statements posted to Instagram, Bryant denied the claims, alleging she has financially supported Laine for nearly 20 years and Laine was never her or Kobe’s assistant or nanny to her children.

“I have always been a stay-at-home mother and my husband and I were our daughters’ full-time caregivers,” said Bryant. “For nearly two decades, we arranged for my mother to live in our nearby properties, at no cost to her because she had claimed that she didn’t have any money to buy her own home after her divorce.” 

“My husband and I felt it was best for her not to live in our home. She watched our girls from time to time, just like most grandparents do. She did not take care of business issues or expenses.”

In her lawsuit, Laine claims she worked for more than 12 hours a day with no meal or rest break while taking care of the Bryants’ children for almost 18 years because Vanessa Bryant gave her a “grueling schedule and detailed instructions.” Bryant said her mother “only occasionally babysat my older girls when they were toddlers.” 

Bryant said her mother is contacting her through intermediaries demanding $5 million, a house and a Mercedes SUV.

“She has no regard for how this is affecting my children and me,” Bryant said claiming Laine “wants to live off of my daughters and me for the rest of her life while continuing to collect monthly alimony from her ex-husband since 2004.”

“My husband and I have never discouraged or kept her from providing for herself,” said Bryant. “My husband never promised my mother anything and he would be so disappointed in her behavior and lack of empathy.”

But after Kobe Bryant’s death, Laine said in the lawsuit, Vanessa Bryant moved her out of a house the Bryants’ owned, then moved her into an empty apartment and sold her car after saying she wanted to take it to a mechanic for scheduled maintenance.

Laine also said Vanessa Bryant “took the malicious step to cut her own mother out of everything, including health insurance,” even though Laine almost died in 2010 as a result of serious health issues, according to the lawsuit.

Laine suggested Vanessa Bryant’s actions occurred because Laine “did not condone” Vanessa Bryant attending social events in the evening and leaving her three children with Laine, according to the lawsuit.

Laine “believed this was extremely inappropriate and troubling and told Vanessa Bryant that she should be home mourning the death of Kobe Bryant and their daughter, Gigi, as opposed to going out social,” the lawsuit says. “Vanessa was agitated by the advice (Laine) gave her. In relation, Vanessa Bryant embarked on a mission to cut (Laine) off physically and financially.”

In March, Laine said in the lawsuit, Vanessa Bryant terminated her employment and removed her name and authorization to enter Vanessa Bryant’s home before moving to a new home and “making it impossible for (Laine) to reach Vanessa Bryant and her grandchildren.

Laine said she has developed high blood pressure and is at high risk of having a stroke because of Vanessa Bryant’s treatment of her, according to the lawsuit.