Richard Simmons, the former fitness guru, Monday sued American Media Inc. _ the publisher of National Enquirer and Radar Online _ claiming libel and invasion of privacy.
According to documents acquired by The Los Angeles Times, Simmons alleges that former assistant Mauro Oliveira had "blackmailed, extorted and stalked" him and that Enquirer and Radar Online "acted in reckless disregard for the fact that information provided by Mr. Oliveira was false and that he was not a credible or reliable source."
The lawsuit also references Simmons' retreat from the public eye, beginning in early 2014, before detailing Oliveira's alleged attempts at "destroying the career and reputation of Mr. Simmons" with the sale of false information to outlets such as the Enquirer.
"On information and belief, Mr. Oliveira contacted the National Enquirer on at least three separate occasions, offering three separate stories as to why Mr. Simmons has been absent from the media in the past few years," the suit reads.
"Mr. Oliveira first contacted the National Enquirer on or around May 2015, stating that Mr. Simmons's absence was due to him being 'frail, weak and spiritually broken,' and 'in desperate need of help.'"
The lawsuit comes after renewed interest in the life of Simmons, spearheaded by a recent podcast titled "Missing Richard Simmons" that purported to investigate why the fitness enthusiast had retired from public life.
A spokesperson for American Media Inc. told People magazine: "While we have not seen Mr. Simmons' complaint, we stand by our reporting about him, all of which was based on solid sourcing and material evidence. Should he choose to proceed with his lawsuit, we will defend it vigorously, and we look forward to the public vindication of our reports."
