Multimillionaire Bryan Johnson, who spends millions annually to reverse his aging process, has emerged victorious from a two-year legal battle against his ex-fiancée, Taryn Southern, who had sued him for his alleged "perverse and abusive behaviour" and “abandoning” her after her cancer diagnosis.
A judge has ordered Southern to pay Johnson $584,199.16 for attorneys' fees incurred during the arbitration process. The legal saga, riddled with accusations of extortion, emotional distress, and a bitter fallout, has finally concluded, with Johnson addressing the matter publicly.
In a 16-minute video posted on YouTube, Johnson, disclosed the emotional toll of the $9 million lawsuit. Johnson claimed Southern, who he spent three years with, made an "extortionate demand" for the staggering sum.
The legal drama unfolded with Southern, 37, alleging unjust enrichment, false promise, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Johnson, bewildered by the accusations, emphasized the once-beautiful nature of their relationship, citing a letter from Southern in 2020 praising his integrity in the clip.
Southern alleged in the lawsuit that Johnson kicked her out of their shared home in Los Angeles and failed to hold their separation deal up after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019.
Johnson maintained he had always treated his former fianceé well.
"This is a person whom I had once had the most beautiful relationship with and now she was unrecognizable to me," he said.
He also dismissed claims of abandoning her because of her diagnosis.
“I rearranged my life and worked beside her non-stop to beat it. We flew around the country together exploring clinical trials and meeting with doctors together, we conducted extensive research into additional therapies and tests,” he said.
“It was our shared omnipresent focus,” he added.
The biotech entrepreneur, advised to settle privately to avoid tarnishing his reputation, chose a different path. Johnson, 45, decided to stand up for himself, leading to a protracted legal battle that only concluded recently. He described the experience as "devastating, costly, and stressful."
Johnson, in the video, detailed Southern's threats to make public accusations unless he paid $9 million within a week. He asserted that a judge later ordered her to pay him half a million dollars, dismissing her claims due to insufficient evidence.
“I'm free I feel relief, it's been two and a half years of hell,” Johnson said.
The tech entrepreneur revealed the toll on his personal life, emphasizing the "unrecognizable" portrayal of their relationship by Southern.
Johnson also established a trust for Southern's medical needs, positioning her as the sole beneficiary with exclusive access.
Legal documents confirm the judge's award of $584,199.16 for Johnson's attorneys' fees. However, the legal battle is not entirely resolved, with ongoing disputes over four of the initial eight causes of action.
Southern's 2021 complaint, obtained by DailyMail.com, accused Johnson of breaching an agreement for lifelong financial support. It depicted a purported pattern of manipulative and coercive behaviour, including allegations of persuading her to accept his non-monogamous lifestyle.
Southern is a film director and tech artist.
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