Stan Lee's former manager arrested on elder abuse charges
Police arrested Keya Morgan, Stan Lee‘s former business manager, Saturday morning over an outstanding arrest warrant regarding elder abuse charges, according to a news release issued by the Los Angeles Police Department.
Scottsdale and Phoenix Police Department, working with LAPD Commercial Crimes Detectives, took Morgan into custody in Arizona. He will eventually be extradited to Los Angeles to face the charges against him. Bail is currently set at $300,000.
According to authorities, Lee, who died at the age of 95 on Nov. 12, 2018, “had been the victim in an elder abuse estate investigation that began in March 2018.” Morgan “exerted his control and influence over Lee,” though there was no clear legal authority to act on behalf of the comic book legend.
Police specifically note money Morgan allegedly collected from autograph signing sessions in May 2018 that totaled $262,000 and were never given to Lee.
Morgan’s attorney, Alex Kessel, said Morgan never abused or exerted control over Lee, and was apparently in contact with prosecutors to arrange Morgan’s surrender next week but he was arrested anyway, per the Associated Press.
Allegations of false imprisonment came to light in June 2018 when, the LAPD said, Morgan “removed Lee from his Hollywood Hills residence to a secured Beverly Hills condominium,” a place “where Morgan had more control over Lee.” Lee was removed from that situation after LAPD arrested Morgan for generating false 911 calls.
During this time, The Hollywood Reporter published an article about those closest to Lee seeking to take control of Lee’s life for financial gain. Morgan was one of the individuals investigated.
Lee took a restraining order out on Morgan in June and, in August, a judge extended it to three years. According to the restraining order, Morgan allegedly embezzled millions in assets from Lee. Kessel told the AP at the time that Morgan didn’t do anything wrong: “He never has, and he never will.”
Following an extensive investigation, Morgan now faces multiple charges, including for the false imprisonment of an elder, Grand Theft, and elder abuse.
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