Dolly Parton’s Manager Pursues Restraining Order Against Nephew

The longtime manager of Dolly Parton is now taking steps to obtain a restraining order against her nephew, Bryan Seaver, amid claims of violent threats made by him. Danny Nozell, the manager, alleges that Seaver began drawing on his supposed military-contractor background, referencing access to weapons and his potential for violence, as part of an effort to extort money from him, according to reports.

Nozell stated that he was forced to sever ties with Seaver after he made a series of threats and used intimidation tactics just weeks before Parton’s passing.

In court documents, it was reported that Seaver allegedly remarked, “Her money better be bigger than I can make elsewhere or I’m going to mess things up for everyone. I am about to become the hand of retribution for my entire family.” Additionally, Nozell claimed Seaver expressed intentions of launching a podcast aimed at damaging Dolly’s brand partnerships.

In a series of troubling text messages, Seaver purportedly said, “All I do is warfare … everyone needs to be worried about what I might do.” Other messages reportedly included statements such as, “I’m not an entertainment person. I’m a killer,” and “I’m going to mess with every entity I can possibly conjure.”

Nozell officially terminated Seaver’s employment on September 15 and is now seeking legal protection to prevent Seaver from interfering with Dolly Parton’s business dealings, aiming to ensure he remains at least 1,000 feet away from her office.

In response to these accusations, Seaver has denied any wrongdoing. He insisted to reporters that the comments involved were not threats and that he stands by most of his statements. He argued that the messages were taken out of context, claiming he was merely speaking candidly to someone he thought of as a friend.

Seaver described the interactions as two grieving individuals sharing intense feelings rather than making threats. He further clarified that his “ratfuck” comment referred to specific bad business relationships that he believed had harmed Dolly and insisted those remarks were justified.

It remains uncertain whether the temporary restraining order has been granted. Parton passed away on August 25 at the age of 80, and Seaver had publicly announced her death in a video shared on her official social media account.