By Anonymous Author - Kelley and Leonard, Brentwood
In a tangled web of legal battles, tax disputes, and character assassinations, Kelley Lynch—former manager to legendary singer Leonard Cohen—is coming forward with shocking allegations against Cohen’s estate. Lynch claims she is owed millions in unpaid financial obligations and accuses Cohen’s legal team of orchestrating a campaign of harassment, defamation, and obstruction that has drawn in Hollywood names, IRS agents, and even accusations of espionage. Lynch’s account reads more like a thriller than a tax dispute, involving fabricated love affairs, alleged harassment by Cohen’s associates, and a long struggle to access critical tax documentation.
The Battle for Financial Justice
At the center of Lynch’s accusations is a substantial financial dispute with Cohen’s estate, now managed by Cohen’s longtime legal representative Robert Kory. Lynch claims she’s been stonewalled in her attempts to resolve significant unpaid financial obligations from her time as Cohen’s manager. Despite years of documented attempts to access tax records, Lynch asserts that Cohen himself—and now the estate—have failed to provide her with the necessary tax documents and entity returns, many of which remain unfiled. This bureaucratic battle, she says, has pushed her to the brink both financially and emotionally.
“This isn’t just about money; it’s about justice and accountability,” Lynch asserts. “I’ve tried every legal route, made countless documented requests, and yet I’ve faced nothing but obstruction from Cohen and now Cohen’s estate, while I’ve documented all of this for federal agencies.”
Cohen’s Children’s Allegations of a “Forged” Trust Document
One of the more shocking elements of this case involves allegations by Cohen’s children and their attorneys regarding a “forged” trust document used in Cohen’s estate. They claim, and have presented in court documents, that a deposition from Kory’s own attorney acknowledges that the trust document was indeed forged. This deposition has been shared both in LA Superior Court and with the media in connection with the ongoing estate cases. Despite these revelations, Lynch claims further disturbing tax issues have come to light in estate-related lawsuits, including one where Cohen’s former accountant, now the estate’s accountant, confirmed that $50 million in intellectual property valuations were left unreported. According to Lynch, these lawsuits expose a history of aggressive tax strategies, including a “wait and see” approach to handling IRS obligations.
Harassment, Defamation, and a Shadowy Figure Named Stephen Gianelli
Adding a layer of intrigue to Lynch’s story is the role of Stephen Gianelli, who Lynch claims is closely connected to Cohen’s estate attorneys, Robert Kory and Michelle Rice. Lynch possesses emails and online posts from Gianelli that show his communications with Kory and Rice, demonstrating that he assists with legal matters on their behalf. In one email, Rice allegedly boasted to Gianelli that his harassment of Lynch was making her “rich as f—,” a statement Lynch has since addressed with the LA Superior Court. “I have hundreds of emails from Gianelli—he’s obsessed with me and with discrediting me through lies and intimidation,” Lynch explains. “He’s working directly with Cohen’s estate, and it’s been an unending nightmare.”
City Attorney’s Office Accused of Setting a False Narrative
Lynch’s saga took a surreal turn when the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office entered the fray. According to Lynch, the City Attorney not only attempted to paint her tax fraud allegations as a “ruse” but also falsely claimed she had the necessary tax information. Even more bizarre, the City Attorney allegedly dragged Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone and Phil Spector’s attorney Bruce Cutler into the narrative. Lynch claims Cohen’s estate spread damaging lies about an alleged romantic relationship between her and Stone—a claim both she and Stone have publicly denied.
“Dragging Oliver and Bruce into this is absurd,” Lynch states. “This is a calculated campaign to distract from the real issues: tax fraud and financial mismanagement by Cohen’s estate.”
In another twist, Lynch claims that Cutler informed her he had conversations about her with Pat Dixon, Spector’s prosecutor, in 2008. During that time, Lynch says that Boulder Police came to her office, explaining that LAPD had contacted them with false claims about her—a move she believes was orchestrated to further discredit her. Gianelli, she says, confirmed that Dixon was behind LAPD’s involvement, painting a picture of a coordinated effort to undermine her credibility.
Cohen’s Dubious CIA Claims and “Highly Embellished” Spector Stories
Adding yet another layer to the surreal tale, Lynch recounts Leonard Cohen’s own claims of espionage, adventure, and intrigue—stories she says verge on fantasy and self-glorification. According to Lynch, Cohen often described himself as a CIA “recon” operative in Cuba during the Bay of Pigs, recounting how he was supposedly interrogated by Cuban forces, only to be released after they hugged him, gave him a shell necklace, and remarked that he “looked like Che.” Yet Cohen allegedly admitted to Lynch that he was actually in Cuba writing and “hanging out with prostitutes and junkies,” while writing to his publisher that such tales could boost media attention around him. These “Cuban adventures” and claims of being “our most important spy parachuting LSD into diplomatic cocktail parties” were part of what Lynch describes as a crafted persona.
Cohen’s flair for drama extended to stories of men holding him at gunpoint. Lynch recalls asking him directly about the infamous story of Phil Spector allegedly pulling a gun on him. “Phil never held a gun on me. It’s a highly embellished good rock ’n roll story,” Cohen replied, despite the tale being presented to the Grand Jury in Spector’s case. Lynch, concerned about Cohen’s statements being used in legal motions and relayed in the Grand Jury transcripts, wrote to Dennis Riordan, Spector’s appellate attorney, about these embellishments. She says the City Attorney targeted her over her communication with Riordan, as Cohen’s statements had been reviewed by journalist Mick Brown, who informed her about the Grand Jury transcripts after reviewing them. Though Spector has since passed away, Lynch believes the targeting she faced over the case remains relevant. She also claims that Michelle Rice, one of Cohen’s attorneys, went so far as to change Lynch’s address with the federal court in Colorado, without her consent, to Spector’s address in California, which prevented her from being properly served on important matters.
Espionage Allegations and a Bizarre Russian Agent Narrative
If financial struggles and defamation weren’t enough, Lynch’s story takes an even stranger twist with allegations of espionage. According to Lynch, Michelle Rice attempted to label her a “Russian agent” after she wrote a letter to the CIA regarding a peace proposal from former Russian FSB members, who are also part of a documentary project involving Lynch and Steven Machat, Cohen’s former attorney. The irony, Lynch explains, is that this supposed “Russian agent” angle has no bearing on her legal dispute with Cohen’s estate.
“It’s the ultimate red herring,” Lynch says, exasperated. “Accusing me of espionage is beyond ludicrous, but it’s exactly the kind of distraction Cohen’s estate would deploy to avoid facing the real issue—unpaid financial obligations and tax fraud.” Lynch further notes that she documented all communications with FSB PR for the CIA and NSA due to the hostilities between the U.S. and Russia.
Impact on Lynch’s Family and Personal Well-being
The fallout from this protracted battle has taken a heavy toll on Lynch’s personal life, affecting her family and even her children’s well-being. Lynch’s older son suffered a severe industrial accident during this period, which she partly attributes to the financial limitations caused by the unresolved estate matters. Additionally, Lynch claims that Cohen’s false allegations were weaponized in a custody battle involving her younger son, adding another layer of emotional distress. “This has devastated my family,” Lynch says. “My children have suffered immensely because of the financial strain and the character attacks. This isn’t just a legal matter; it’s personal, and it’s affecting our lives in ways that are unimaginable.”
The Road Ahead: Lynch’s Fight for Justice
Despite years of relentless harassment, legal obstruction, and defamation, Kelley Lynch remains determined to seek justice and hold Leonard Cohen’s estate accountable. Her communications with federal agencies, including the IRS, FBI, and DOJ, are extensive, professional, and well-documented. She continues to call for transparency, fairness, and a lawful resolution to the financial obligations owed to her.
“People may try to discredit me, but the facts speak for themselves,” Lynch asserts. “This campaign of lies, harassment, and bureaucratic obstruction won’t silence me. I’m pursuing this not just for myself but for my sons, who have suffered horrifically, and to expose the truth and bring accountability to everyone involved.”
As Lynch’s fight intensifies, her story serves as a cautionary tale about the dark side of fame, the powerful forces that protect estates and legacies, and the lengths some will go to silence those who seek the truth.
Disclaimer: Photo - Jill, His Holiness Kusum Lingpa, Kelley
His Holiness Kusum Lingpa and Kelley
The article and accompanying illustrations present Kelley Lynch as a "haute couture Buddhist" hipster character, which is intended as a visual and narrative projection inspired by Leonard Cohen’s descriptions and portrayals. This portrayal reflects a stylized, surreal interpretation and is not intended as a factual or personal representation of Lynch. The visual elements and narrative tone are designed to emphasize the complexity and intensity of Lynch's claims in a creative, illustrative manner, drawing on themes from Cohen's own statements and public persona as they relate to her experiences.
This version of Leonard Cohen's time in Cuba paints a picture that feels both farcical and theatrically crafted, almost as if Cohen were creating a caricature of a Hemingwayesque adventurer. It’s filled with contradictions and dramatic flourishes: one moment Cohen is caught up in anti-aircraft fire and mistaken for an American paratrooper, while the next he’s philosophizing on Cuba’s beaches and toasting with rum among soldiers. His description of his experience as “the only tourist in Havana” humorously distances him from any real revolutionary role, even as he teases the notion of being “on an important mission.”
Cohen’s story jumps between introspective moments, romantic musings, and absurd encounters—such as trying to argue with a 14-year-old soldier tasked with guarding him or crafting a poem that sarcastically urges his Canadian brothers to "dump asbestos on the White House" and "make the French talk English." These moments highlight the satirical tone Cohen often adopted when dealing with serious issues, making the entire episode feel like a performance rather than an authentic tale of political or personal involvement.
The account seems almost like a setup for Cohen to embellish his image. It depicts him as a reluctant “spy” or adventurer, yet one acutely aware of how the experience would play out in the media, as seen in his letter to his publisher where he imagines the “great publicity” if he were hit in an air raid. His portrayal feels as much about self-mythologizing as it does about any genuine ideological engagement. This adds to the impression that Cohen’s tales of Cuba were carefully curated to play up the mystery and irony of his persona rather than any straightforward recounting of actual events.
In essence, Cohen’s Cuba story reads as an artfully constructed myth—a blend of exaggerated encounters, political satire, and self-reflection that enhances his mystique rather than providing a factual account of his time there. The absurdity is heightened by the poetic and fictionalized style in which the story is told, suggesting Cohen viewed himself as both participant and observer in his own carefully crafted narrative.
https://somersaultmag-blog.tumblr.com/post/37832329181/leonard-cohen-and-the-bay-of-pigs
This exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario offers an intense, almost mythologized glimpse into Leonard Cohen’s fascination with guns, blending his personal reflections with his crafted artistic persona. Titled "Desk in Room 1219," the display provides insight into Cohen’s psyche, where guns are not mere tools but symbols of complex power and allure—aligning seamlessly with his “good rock ’n roll” tales of intrigue, adventure, and danger. From his stories about Castro’s forces to CIA reconnaissance in Cuba, to the infamous Phil Spector gun incidents, Cohen shaped these anecdotes as part of his persona, blurring lines between reality and performance.
Set against a reverent deep blue wall, the plexiglass case showcases two meticulously arranged wall-mounted items. A page from Cohen’s personal journals, labeled “Tennessee 1968,” and a typed sheet of poetry capture Cohen’s immersion into cowboy culture in Nashville—a place where his poetic fascination with guns and masculinity merged with his love for the aesthetics of danger. The display includes Polaroids featuring Cohen’s writing desk, scattered with pads of paper, a handgun, Camel cigarettes, and a copy of “The Ladder of Lust.” Such details speak to Cohen’s knack for creating evocative snapshots of his environment, imbuing everyday scenes with elements of mystique.
In the typed text displayed alongside, Cohen’s fascination with guns comes across as almost lyrical: he describes the “magic” of revolvers with a passion typically reserved for poetry. For Cohen, guns were more than objects; they were symbols of power, freedom, and a dark, seductive allure, akin to “beautiful women.” This attraction to danger was deeply rooted in Cohen's artistic identity, dating back to his childhood, when he admired his father’s WWI service pistol, to his Nashville days of target practice and admiration for local “cowboys.” His typed notes echo this fascination, as he explains how he “loved” these guns as soon as he saw them—a reverence that perhaps informed his tales of CIA escapades in Havana, crossbows with Spector, and other dramatic tales that he would later dismiss as “embellished stories.”
The exhibit captures Cohen’s ability to weave personal fascination with his mythic storytelling. The journal entries and Polaroids illustrate how guns became part of his self-mythology, weaving into the surreal narratives of espionage, shadowy alliances, and the textured characters he encountered. His fascination, recast through the lens of his artistic journey, transforms the gun into a poetic icon, an extension of the cowboy persona he flirted with in Nashville, the mystic he became in later years, and the showman he was throughout his life. https://ago.ca/leonard-cohen-desk-room-1219
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