Katy Perry caught in property dispute between nuns, archdiocese

LOS ANGELES — Katy Perry is caught in a property dispute between a group of elderly nuns and the Los Angeles Archdiocese over who owns a hilltop convent overlooking Hollywood. The singer is named in a recent lawsuit over the scenic property in the Los Feliz neighbourhood.

The dispute centres on who is authorised to sell the convent. The Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary say the building is theirs, and they've sold it to a local restaurateur, Dana Hollister, who has already moved in.

In a June 19 lawsuit, the archdiocese claims it is responsible for selling the property, and plans a US$14.5 million (S$19.5 million) deal with another buyer. The defendants in the suit say that buyer is Perry. A spokeswoman for the entertainer did not respond to inquiries from The Associated Press.

The archdiocese released a statement Monday (June 29) saying it has taken legal action to prevent Hollister from assuming control of the property, claiming the sale was unauthorised. A spokeswoman for the archdiocese declined to name its proposed buyer.

Hollister's attorney, Randy Snyder, says the dispute has nothing to do with Perry, but rather is a battle between the diocese and the nuns. AP