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Dolly Parton’s longtime manager, Danny Nozell, has sought a temporary restraining order against the late singer’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, accusing him of making violent threats and attempting to pressure him for money.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Nozell alleged that Seaver invoked his military-contractor background, access to weapons and “capacity for violence” during a dispute that intensified after Parton’s death. Seaver was dismissed from his role as head of security on September 15.
One alleged message from Seaver read: “Her money better be bigger than I can make elsewhere or I’m going to f*** everyone. I am about to become the hand of retribution for my entire family.”
Another allegedly stated: “I’m going to set up a podcast dedicated to ruining Dolly’s brand partnership and telling the violations these people have done on us.”
The court filing also included messages in which Seaver allegedly wrote: “All I do is warfare … everyone needs to be worried about what I might do,” and “I’m not an entertainment person. I’m a killer.”
Nozell is asking the court to prevent Seaver from interfering with Parton’s business and contacting business partners, as well as to keep him 1,000 feet away from the offices.
Seaver, however, denies that his messages constituted threats and said they had been taken out of context.
“I am a career soldier and military contractor and do conduct arms deals for foreign governments. I am a security professional and I am a killer,” he told TMZ.
He added: “However, nothing in this lawsuit were threats and most of the comments I stand by.”
“I was talking frankly in a private way with Danny who I thought was my friend and he fancies himself a gangster,” Seaver said. “A lot of these messages are two guys having rage talk and crying on the phone together while we were grieving.”
Addressing the alleged “ratf**k” message, Seaver said: “I was talking about people that have done bad to Dolly in business a specific company that scared her and intimated her. Those comments were about specific, horrible business partners that have done wrong to her and I stand by that.”
Parton died on August 25, 2026, at the age of 80. Seaver, who had served as her security chief for years, was the family member who announced her death publicly.
