Ami Brown APPEALS judge’s decision to move forward with $500K lawsuit against late husband Billy
ALASKAN Bush People star Ami Brown has appealed the judge’s decision to move forward with the $500,000 lawsuit against her late husband Billy’s estate, The Sun can exclusively reveal.
Investor Robert Maughon filed a lawsuit against Billy’s estate and the late star’s business Alaskan Wilderness Family Productions for breach of contract on April 27, 2021, as he claimed the patriarch failed to pay him profits made from the show.
Billy’s estate, whose personal representative is his widow Ami, filed to have the lawsuit dismissed based on “lack of subject matter jurisdiction,” meaning federal court, where the case has been filed, does not have the authority to hear or rule on the probate case.
A Washington judge denied her request and ruled to move forward with the case.
The Sun can exclusively reveal Billy’s estate has filed to appeal the judge’s decision on April 27.
BILLY’S ESTATE SUED
As The Sun previously reported, Robert claimed he entered into a contract with Billy on January 6, 2009, where he invested $20,000.
He claimed Billy, who is an author, agreed to pay him 10 percent of income from the publication and sales of Alaska Wilderness Family Productions derived from books written by Billy.
The payments were allegedly supposed to be for a period of 10 years from the contract date.
Robert claimed in the court papers: “Billy Bryan Brown failed to pay to Plaintiff Robert Micky Maughon the monies called for in the Ten Year contract.”
He then alleged a second contract was made on January 25, 2009, where he invested $10,000 for a “lifetime.”
Robert claimed Billy agreed to pay him 10 percent “of the gross income of Alaska Wilderness Family Productions from the creative works of Billy Bryan Brown, specifically including books, movies, television and documentaries.”
He claimed: “Billy Bryan Brown and [the business] have failed to pay to Plaintiff the monies called for in the Lifetime contract.”
Robert said the amount cannot be known without accounting, but that he believes Billy earned $500,000 per episode of Alaskan Bush People, which ran for 10 shows the most recent season.
He is demanding $500,000 and a trial.
He provided the two alleged contracts in the lawsuit, both seemingly notarized and with Billy’s signature.
Robert also filed a creditor’s claim in Billy Brown’s estate case.
Billy’s estate has not responded to the claim.
AMI IN CHARGE
As The Sun previously reported, Billy’s wife Ami, 58, requested to be the personal representative of his estate, which was approved.
Ami revealed “no valid will has been found.”
His wife listed his assets as $439,000, including $415,000 in real property for four parcels of land.
He had $2,000 in a Wells Fargo bank account.
His furniture and household goods were worth $10,000, and he had $12,000 worth of livestock.
At the time of his death, he owed $27,000 in medical bills, making his estate worth $412,000.
DAD’S DEATH
The probate case also included his official death certificate.
His cause of death was determined as probable cardiac arrest, congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease.
Other conditions that contributed to his death were emphysema and seizures.
Tobacco use also contributed to Billy’s passing.
He died at the age of 68 in February 2021 after suffering a fatal seizure.
As The Sun previously reported, the Washington Sheriff’s Office confirmed a medical helicopter was requested, but he ultimately “passed away at home” after CPR was attempted.
A spokesperson for the office told The Sun: “Medics and fire were on the scene a hour and a half before the Sheriff’s Office was called. We respond to all deaths. At this point, nothing suspicious or criminal.”
The Sun obtained the investigative report that revealed a production crew member called 911 at 4:13pm after receiving a call from Billy and Ami’s son Bear that his father was “not breathing.”
A deputy from the Washington Sheriff’s Office arrived to the scene when the medical call resulted in an “unattended death.”
The reporting officer wrote in the report: “I was advised a 68-year-old male was reported to have been in seizure, the male had become unresponsive and had stopped breathing. CPR had been done on the male without success.”
Billy was the patriarch of the Alaskan Bush People family.
He is survived by Ami and their children Matt, Bam Bam, Bear, Gabe, Noah, Bird, and Rain.
BEAR’S ARREST
His son Bear has recently faced legal trouble.
The Sun exclusively reported Bear, 34, was arrested for domestic violence on March 11, as he was released on March 14.
Bear accepted a plea deal in the case and has waived his right to a trial.
The plea will be presented and accepted by a Washington judge on May 12.
The arrest came months after Bear married on-again, off-again girlfriend Raiven Adams, who he shares son River, 2, with.
Raiven has been standing by her husband after the arrest.
