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Vanessa Bryant Claims Her Mother Has ‘Spiraled Out of Control’ After She Sues for Financial Support

Vanessa Bryant’s mother, Sofia Laine, is suing her for financial support in the wake of Kobe Bryant’s death.

Related: Vanessa Bryant's Motherhood Moments

Laine, 68, filed a lawsuit against Vanessa, 38, in California on Tuesday, December 15. According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly, Laine claims she worked as an unpaid “longtime personal assistant and nanny” for the family and the late NBA star “promised to take care of” her “for the rest of her life.”

Vanessa Bryant Mother Sues Her for Financial Support Sofia Laine
Vanessa Bryant AFF-USA/Shutterstock

The papers allege: “Unfortunately, Kobe Bryant’s promises did not see the light of day as he is now deceased, and Vanessa Bryant took each and every step she could to void and cancel all of Kobe Bryant’s promises made to [Laine]. Vanessa Bryant did not intend to honor any of the Bryants’ representations, agreements and promises at any stage.”

Kobe, 41, and the couple’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, were among nine people who died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, in January. Vanessa and the basketball player also shared daughters Natalia, 17, Bianka, 4, and Capri, 17 months.

Related: Kobe Bryant's Life in Photos

Vanessa claims in a statement to Us that Laine is “continuing to try and find ways to extort a financial windfall from our family.” She also denies her mother was ever a nanny or personal assistant to her.

Vanessa Bryant Mother Sues Her for Financial Support Sofia Laine
Vanessa Bryant, Natalia Bryant, Gianna Bryant and Sofia Laine attend the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Indiana Pacers. John Salangsang/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

“She was a grandmother who was supported by me and her son-in-law at my request,” the former model alleges. “She now wants to back-charge me $96 per hour for supposedly working 12 hours a day for 18 years for watching her grandchildren. In reality, she only occasionally babysat my older girls when they were toddlers. As of 10 years ago, our kids were full-time students and athletes and I didn’t have another child until 2016. Her claims are obviously false but I still tried, repeatedly, to work things out with my mother.”

Related: Inside Kobe Bryant’s Final Days With Daughters

Vanessa tells Us Laine “demanded $5 million, a house and a Mercedes SUV” from her, but because she “did not give in to her hurtful threats and monetary requests, she has spiraled out of control.” She further claims that her mother is “now trying to get more money than my husband and I ever spent to provide for her while he was alive” and alleges Kobe “never promised my mother anything.”

Vanessa Bryant Mother Sues Her for Financial Support Sofia Laine
Vanessa Bryant, Kobe Bryant, Natalia Bryant, Gianna Bryant Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

Laine made headlines in September when she claimed in a Univision interview that her daughter kicked her out of her home and forced her to return a car. Vanessa reacted to the allegations in a statement to Us at the time.

“My husband and daughter passed away unexpectedly and yet my mom has the audacity to do an interview on TV talking negatively about me while shedding tears about a car and home that wasn’t in her name,” Vanessa said. “She has removed all her diamond jewelry, emptied her apartment that I provide, and put the furniture in storage to appear as though she is without support. My husband and I have financially supported her over the past 20 years, and I continue to do so, in addition to her monthly alimony.”

Vanessa denied that her mother had been “physically present or emotionally supportive for my daughters and me” after their family tragedy.

She concluded: “Going forward, I see what is most important to my mom and it is beyond hurtful. I hope this public airing of our personal relations will stop here.”

With reporting by Marjorie Hernandez

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