Dolly Parton's manager accuses her nephew of 'threats and intimidation'

Dolly Parton's management company has accused her nephew of "threats, intimidation, and coercion", revealing a bitter battle over the late star's legacy and business interests.

The accusations against Bryan Seaver, who was Parton's head of security and was handpicked to announce her death last month, have been made public in US legal documents filed this week.

The company that manages Parton's businesses and properties, She's Alive, is seeking a temporary civil restraining order against him.

In court filings, She's Alive alleged that Seaver mounted "an obscene, deliberate and escalating campaign of threats", claiming he said he would ruin her empire if the estate did not pay him. He has denied the claims.

In a statement to TMZ , external , he said that text messages and emails quoted in the court application had been taken out of context to make it look like he was threatening people.

"Nothing in this lawsuit were threats and most of the comments I stand by," he said.

"A lot of these messages are two guys having rage talk and crying on the phone together while we were grieving."

Seaver, the son of Parton's sister Cassie, owns a company that provided the singer's security detail for the last 20 years of her life.