Cher accused of getting in the way of her son's treatment

A young Elijah Blue Allman, in a tux, links arms with mother Cher, who is wearing a long black coat and white crop top

By Jonah ValdezStaff Writer

Oct. 27, 2023 5:25 PM PT

Cher is keeping her son’s whereabouts a secret and meddling with his health treatment amid another “disappearance,” according to a recent court filing.

The “Believe” singer and Hollywood icon has already denied that she orchestrated the kidnapping of her son from a New York hotel last November. That allegation was made in a court document filed last year by Allman’s estranged wife, Marieangela King, as a part of her divorce proceedings with Allman.

King now says in a new legal filing that she last saw Allman at a divorce court hearing in April. He hasn’t been seen since, according to the declaration filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Wednesday and reviewed by The Times.

King further alleged that Cher has continued to “interfere with his health management as well as his location and accessibility.” She requested Allman’s health records through discovery.

At the April hearing, Allman and King agreed to continue working on their marriage for the next six months, the court filing said. However, his absence hampered their process toward resolution and remains a concern for King.

Allman missed two hearings in October, including a virtual hearing to set a trial date that was held Friday in Los Angeles, according to court records and King’s attorney, Regina Ratner. He was instead represented by his attorney, Larry A. Ginsberg.

“I thought it was interesting that [Allman’s] attorney doesn’t know what’s going on either,” Ratner told The Times on Friday.

She added that Ginsberg said he did want to settle the divorce case with King, but the obstacle of communicating with his client remained a challenge.

“He didn’t say anything,” Ratner said about the moment when she asked Ginsberg about his client’s whereabouts and status. “It was a little strange and covert, like he didn’t want to make a public statement.”

She said Ginsberg expressed uncertainty over whether his firm would continue to represent Allman.

Ginsberg did not immediately respond to The Times’ requests for comment on Friday afternoon. Neither did a representative for Cher.

Allman, 47, and King, 36, married in 2013. Allman filed for divorce from the recording artist, whose professional name is Queeny King, in November 2021, but a year later the pair spent nearly two weeks at a New York hotel in an attempt to repair their marriage. It was during this period in November 2022, King alleged in a December 2022 court document reviewed by The Times, that four men hired by Cher kidnapped Allman from his room. The alleged incident was made public in September by the Daily Mail.

Earlier this month, Cher broke her silence and denied the allegations, telling People, “[T]hat rumor is not true.” She declined to comment further on the allegations but confirmed that the matter was related to her son’s addiction issues — issues that were alluded to in the earlier filing.

“I’m a mother. This is my job — one way or another, to try to help my children,” Cher said. “You do anything for your children. Whenever you can help them, you just do it because that’s what being a mother is. But it’s joy, even with heartache — mostly, when you think of your children, you just smile and you love them, and you try to be there for them.”

After the alleged abduction, Allman was taken to a treatment facility and King was not allowed to contact him, the court documents said. He was expected to end his treatment by March and, King stated, had been receiving medical care since August 2022.

Cher had been worried about her son’s health and planning an intervention after he apparently collapsed last year at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood, the Daily Mail said.

Ahead of Friday’s hearing, King filed the declaration that asked the court to require Allman to show up for the next hearing. She is continuing to seek unpaid spousal support, which has topped $40,000. King also said that Allman still owes her the car they shared, which had been promised to her. She is also trying to gain access to a storage unit with her belongings, such as furniture and clothing, and a deed for valuable artwork. She alleged that Cher was keeping all of these items at her Malibu home.

Another hearing has been scheduled for Feb. 8, according to court records.

Times staff writer Nardine Saad contributed to this report.