Judge Grants Stan Lee Restraining Order Against Ex-Manager

LOS ANGELES (CN) – A man who called himself Marvel Comics Stan Lee’s business partner was ordered by the Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday to stay away from the comic book legend for three years.

Allegations of fraud, elder abuse and embezzlement preceded Friday’s restraining order against movie producer Keya Morgan.

Lee, 95, creator of Spider-Man, X-Men and many other comic heroes, met Morgan through his daughter, J.C.

According to a previous restraining order filed in June, Morgan installed himself into Lee’s life and attempted to interfere with his ability to meet with friends, family and doctors. Morgan is accused of stealing artwork and money totaling $5 million from Lee, according to court records.

A copy of an arrest warrant for Morgan was included with the application for the restraining order. Morgan was arrested on the suspicion of filing a false police report on May 30, when he called 911 to say armed burglars broke into Lee’s home and locked themselves inside. Instead, it was later revealed that two detectives and a county case worker conducting a welfare check and investigating claims of elder abuse against Lee.

Morgan is accused in court records of taking advantage of Lee who has impaired vision, poor memory and was moved out of his longtime home by Morgan and into an apartment to “alienate” Lee from his family and friends.

In a July 26 hearing in criminal court hearing on the false report charges, Morgan’s attorney Alex Kessel said that his client no longer lived in California.

Furthermore, in an email to Courthouse News Kessel accused Lee's attorneys of "fraud and deceit" in serving Morgan with the legal action.

“Stan Lee’s attorney perpetrated a fraud on the court when he filed a proof of service misrepresenting that he personally served Mr. Morgan on July 25, 2018, at a location Mr. Morgan has not been associated with for over two years. In fact, Mr. Morgan has been working out of state for the last 3 months,” Kessel said. “The court granted the TRO based on this filed proof of service. This fraud and deceit should be brought to the court’s attention.

“The attorney’s fraud upon the court is indicative of the lies about Mr. Morgan’s inappropriate treatment of Mr. Lee alleged in the application for the TRO.”

Friday’s order from commissioner Laura Hymowitz also requires Morgan to stay away from Lee’s daughter and his brother, Larry Lieber.

According to Lee’s restraining order request, Morgan was “attempting to influence Larry Lieber and JC Lee to assist him in regaining contact with, and control of, Stan Lee, his finances and his personal property,” adding that Morgan used “repeated and harassing phone calls, written messages and threats of personal contact.”

Lee’s attorney, Jonathan Freund from Freund & Brackey, said Lee and his family are pleased that the court took this action for his safety.

“His health is slowly recovering every day,” Freund said in a phone interview with Courthouse News Service.

While the criminal matter against Morgan is pending, Freund said his client has made no decisions on further legal actions.

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