Stan Lee's former manager was arrested after allegedly abusing the late Marvel legend.
Keya Morgan was taken into custody by Scottsdale and Phoenix Police Department in collaboration with Los Angeles Police Department Commercial Crimes Detectives in Arizona on Saturday, ET confirms.
Earlier this month, Morgan was charged with five counts of elder abuse, including false imprisonment, forgery and fraud, involving the Marvel icon. According to the LAPD, Morgan will go before a judge and eventually extradited to Los Angeles to face charges. Bail has been set at $300,000 as Morgan awaits extradition.
Lee died at the age of 95 last November. His elder abuse estate investigation began in March 2018, with Morgan at the forefront.
"It had been revealed that no one had clear legal authority to act on Mr. Lee’s behalf; yet, Morgan exerted his control and influence over Lee," the LAPD said in a statement on Saturday. "During the course of this extensive financial investigation, allegations of Grand Theft/Fiduciary Elder Abuse against Morgan had been made with regard to monies collected from business transactions (autograph signing sessions from May 10-12, 2018 totaling over $262,000) that Lee never received (from Morgan)."
The false imprisonment charge stems from Lee's ex-manager moving Lee "from his Hollywood Hills residence to a secured Beverly Hills condominium during the late night hours of June 8, 2018," the LAPD reports. Lee was later removed from Morgan's control, and the ex-manager was arrested on suspicion of filing a false police report, which, according to The Hollywood Reporter, was linked to a story that Lee was confronted by two gunmen during an attempted robbery at his home. Morgan pleaded no contest to the false report of an emergency and was placed in a diversion program for 12 months.
Two days after Morgan's arrest, a restraining order was issued on behalf of the Marvel creator against Morgan.
After Morgan was charged earlier this month, his attorney, Alex Kessell told ET in a statement: "My client stands firmly on his presumption of innocence. I expect he will be exonerated of all charges. Mr Morgan has never abused Mr Stan Lee in anyway. Please note our unequivocal position."
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