Actor Mickey Rooney has accused his stepson and others of abusing him and stealing his income.
A lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court accuses the 90-year-old’s stepson Christopher Aber of elder abuse, fraud and other crimes.
The documents claim Mr Aber fraudulently took control of all Rooney’s income, including his social security cheques, which typically amounted to $12,000 a month.
He is also accused of applying for and using credit cards in Rooney’s name to lead an extravagant lifestyle.
Mr Aber said the action was not being driven by Rooney but by the actor’s conservators, who Mr Aber accuses of theft. He declined to comment further.
“While Chris instilled fear in Mickey and kept him in poverty, Chris took advantage of his unfettered access to Mickey’s income,” the filing said.
“Chris consistently paid himself a generous salary from Mickey’s earnings, took ‘advances’ on his salary, and spent Mickey’s money as if it were his own.”
The lawsuit also alleges Mr Aber bullied Rooney into continuing to work by telling him he would lose his house and his medical benefits if he didn’t continue to earn an income.
Both Rooney and his conservator Michael Augustine are named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
According to the lawsuit, Mr Augustine’s services were sought by Rooney in February “to protect his person and estate from fraud”.
The lawsuit says Mr Aber allegedly rerouted all of Rooney’s mail and took control of his income.
Mr Aber is also accused of applying for and using credit cards in Rooney’s name and used Rooney’s money to buy several sportscars.
Born Ninian Joseph Yule, Rooney made his stage debut as part of his family’s vaudeville act when he was 15 months old. He has appeared in hundreds of films, television shows and theatre productions, and still does personal appearances.
Nominated for an Oscar four times, Rooney won an honorary Oscar, known as a lifetime achievement award, in 1983 for “50 years of versatility in a variety of memorable film performances”.
As a child actor he won 1939’s Juvenile Award Oscar - a category that has since been discontinued.
AP