Stevie Wonder is suing to evict his former fiancée, Carmen Efferson, from the Los Angeles home she’s lived in rent-free since 1988. The case centers on a dispute over access for an insurance inspection at the Hollywood Hills house.
Wonder, 76, filed the unlawful detainer case on October 22, seeking a court order to remove Efferson from his 3-bedroom property. Court papers describe her rent-free arrangement as an oral agreement.
Efferson said on October 23 that they were engaged when she moved in, though they never married.
The lawsuit alleges that Wonder’s representatives tried to inspect the home 3 times in July for an insurance renewal and that Efferson denied them entry. His legal team says it sent several notices warning that her continued refusal could lead to eviction.
In an email to Wonder’s lawyer, David Huff, Efferson wrote: “Please refrain from your racist coldblooded ‘white male privilege’ tone.”
She continued: “I am feeling harassed. Regarding your ORDERS of entering into the place where I am living, I do not consent. Do not make any attempt to make any kind of contact with me.”
Wonder’s lawsuit argues that the blocked inspections caused the property’s insurance coverage to lapse. Along with possession of the home, he’s seeking $600 in damages.