Elijah Blue Allman, Cher’s son with late Allman Brothers singer-songwriter Gregg Allman, is pushing back against his mother’s claims that he is “severely impaired” and unable to handle money amid alleged substance abuse and mental health issues.
The 49-year-old guitarist for the rock band Deadsy plans to challenge Cher’s renewed request for conservatorship over his finances, according to his lawyers Tell ROLLING STONE. Cher resubmitted the petition last week; a judge was scheduled to consider the matter at a hearing Friday morning.
“Elijah is disappointed but not surprised by this renewed attempt to gain control of his finances,” said his lawyer Avi Levy. “We have spoken to Elijah several times this week and despite the circumstances, his spirits are good. Elijah rejects the current proposal.”
Hearing in Los Angeles
Levy said his co-counsel Steven Brumer will appear for Allman at the hearing in Los Angeles. Lawyers from the firm Cage and Miles LLP informed the court on Thursday that they are taking over the case again – they had already represented Allman during Cher’s first guardianship application, which was met with early skepticism by the judge and ended in an out-of-court settlement in 2024.
In her renewed request for court oversight of Allman’s trust payments, Cher describes her son’s situation as serious – after two consecutive arrests in New Hampshire, he ended up in a closed psychiatric facility.
“Elijah’s situation has deteriorated on multiple levels. His mental health has deteriorated significantly, his financial situation is dire, and his drug addiction has reached new lows,” says the petition filed in probate court on April 15 and obtained by ROLLING STONE.
Previous agreement collapsed
When Cher first filed for guardianship in December 2023, Allman appeared in court in person to defend himself: he had stopped using drugs and would hire a financial manager. Now Cher claims he didn’t keep his word.
According to her, since 2024 he has been living “far beyond his means” – he has been going back and forth between “expensive hotels that he cannot afford” and short-term rentals, has allegedly caused damage of over $50,000 in an Airbnb accommodation and has run up a bill of $18,000 from a drug dealer. He also has an outstanding tax debt of more than $200,000 and faces a slew of criminal charges.
According to an arrest warrant obtained by ROLLING STONE, Allman was arrested on Feb. 27 on the grounds of St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire, on suspicion of trespassing, menacing and simple assault. Local station WMUR 9 News reported that Allman sneaked onto school grounds without permission, claiming he was a potential parent, then became aggressive and pushed a student with his cane. He was arrested and released on bail – followed two days later by another arrest in Windham, New Hampshire, for burglary: A woman had called the police and said someone had broken into her house and that she was “hiding in a closet,” according to a police report obtained by ROLLING STONE. Arriving officers found a shattered glass door – and Allman “sitting on the living room sofa, smoking a cigarette.”
Serious allegations in the application
“Because the proposed ward is currently in the custody of a mental health facility in New Hampshire, this petition does not seek guardianship of the individual. However, the facts underlying this petition are not only relevant to establishing the proposed ward’s total inability to manage his finances – they also establish that he is severely impaired,” Cher’s petition states. It also states that broader guardianship of Allman’s personal life would likely be “appropriate for him once he returns to California.”
According to Cher’s filings, Elijah receives $120,000 annually from a trust fund set up by his father. Any payout would be “squandered immediately, without regard to his liabilities or well-being,” according to court documents.
“There is a clear pattern in Elijah’s behavior,” Cher claims in documents filed by her attorney. “After receiving his escrow payout, he checks into a hotel – usually the Chateau Marmont – and buys drugs and uses them until he runs out of money, ends up in the hospital, or overdoses. Given this pattern, it is expected that Elijah will use any payout to purchase drugs.”
Danger to yourself and others
The guardianship documents detail other incidents in which Allman allegedly posed a danger to himself or others – including an episode in which he allegedly passed out in his car in the middle of traffic and was taken to the hospital, where he was given naloxone. “There were several instances where Elijah caused grease fires while cooking because he dozed off and forgot something was on the stove,” the document states.
Allman’s brother, Devon Allman, filed an affidavit in support of the new guardianship petition. “It is my assessment that he is currently a danger to himself and is unable to manage his life or any financial resources,” he wrote. “My recent visit to check on him filled me with a deep sadness that stayed with me for weeks. His physical and mental condition was frightening – one neglected, the other delusional.”
Devon explained that he had previously been forced to “negotiate a five-figure drug debt with a heroin dealer” because his brother couldn’t pay. “This was very difficult to cope with. But I felt obliged to help for the sake of his safety,” he wrote. “I urge that Elijah be kept away from money until he has proven he is ready to invest in his long-term physical and mental health.”
New application, new guardian
When Cher first filed for guardianship in 2023, she wanted to be appointed as her son’s financial guardian. This time she is asking the court to appoint Jason Rubin, a licensed private trustee, to the role. Rubin should be given the power of attorney to accept her son’s trust payouts and use them to pay Allman’s expenses as she sees fit.
