Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, filed a lawsuit against two of his children and a former business manager.
Buzz Aldrin's Lawsuit Against His Children And Business Manager
The 88-year-old former NASA astronaut accused his children and business manager of moving money from an account, misusing his credit cards, and for claiming that he has dementia.
In his lawsuit, Aldrin asked for the removal of his son Andrew from having control over his financial affairs, social media account, business and nonprofit enterprises. He also accused his daughter, Janice, of conspiracy and not acting in his financial interests. He likewise accused his former business manager Christina Korp of unjust enrichment and exploitation of the elderly.
Aldrin's lawyer Robert Bauer said that the suit is justified.
"I think the basis of this lawsuit can be summed up in the idea of people taking too much from an opportunity," he said. "These are people who have seen opportunities and see opportunities for themselves in the future and are more interested in Buzz Aldrin's legacy than Buzz Aldrin."
Aldrin's Alleged Dementia And Mental Health Problems
The lawsuit, filed on June 7 in a Florida state court, came just a week after Aldrin's children Andrew and Janice filed a petition that claims their father is suffering from memory loss, paranoia, delusions, and dementia. The petition asked for the court to name them their father's legal guardians.
"Let it be clear that every one of these allegations are products of the increased confusion and memory loss that Dad has demonstrated in recent years," Aldrin's children said in a statement released on Tuesday.
Earlier this year, Aldrin underwent a voluntary mental evaluation with UCLA geriatric psychiatrist James Spar, who said his score is "superior to normal" for his age.
"He is perfectly capable of providing for his physical health needs, food, clothing and shelter, and is substantially able to manage his finances and resist fraud and undue influence," Spar said.
Aldrin's kids, however, claims that this is not the case.
The former astronaut will undergo a competency exam which will be administered by court-appointed mental-health experts.
Dementia
Experts said that it can be difficult to determine if someone has dementia, and no single test able to diagnose it conclusively. Doctors use different tests, which include blood tests, brain scans, and cognitive tasks. They may also ask a patient to prepare a toast to see if their memory and problem-solving skills are intact.
