A lawsuit has been filed against Aaron Phypers, the husband of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Denise Richards, alleging he defrauded a cancer patient out of $126,000.

Court documents obtained from In touch weekly And OK! magazine reveals that Rupert Perry, executor of the late Elina Katsioula-Beall, initiated the lawsuit on November 13, 2024, accusing Phypers of breach of oral contracts and fraud/false promise.

Elina Katsioula-Beall, described in the lawsuit as an “award-winning art director” for major events such as the Academy Awards and concerts by artists including Janet Jackson and Madonna, was diagnosed with sarcoma in 2019. After standard treatments failed, she sought alternative therapies.

According to the lawsuit, Katsioula-Beall and her husband Rupert met Phypers in June 2023 at a spa in Malibu, where he allegedly promoted a stem cell treatment with a 98% success rate. Phypers reportedly assured them that if the treatment failed, he would refund 50% of their payment.

Relying on his claims, the couple paid $126,000 for treatments carried out between July and September 2023. However, the lawsuit says the treatments did not work, as an MRI in December 2023 showed a 25% growth in Katsioula-Beall tumors. Despite repeated requests for a promised $63,000 refund, Phypers allegedly ignored them and suggested additional treatments instead.

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Fraud allegations against Aaron Phypers

The lawsuit details several attempts by Katsioula-Beall to reclaim the promised refund before her death. In December 2023 and February 2024, she emailed Aaron Phypers requesting repayment, but he reportedly did not respond. On March 7, 2024, Phypers allegedly admitted to owing the money in a text message to a third party and assured that he would pay it.

Still, no payment was made, even after Katsioula-Beall sent another email with an invoice on March 29, 2024, two months before her death in May 2024.

According to Perry, Aaron Phypers admitted the debt during a phone call on June 28, 2024, but offered excuses for nonpayment. Rupert Perry’s lawsuit accuses Phypers of “willful, willful misconduct” and seeks unspecified general and punitive damages to prevent such conduct in the future.

A source close to Phypers reported In touch weekly that he denies responsibility for the refund and claims that he was merely an intermediary who provided space for the proceedings. The source stated that the company that performed the treatments had promised a refund and that Phypers had attempted to contact its CEO on Perry’s behalf.

In 2023, he faced a six-figure settlement in a separate lawsuit over alleged debts related to his wellness center. The latest allegations raise further scrutiny of his business practices and credibility.

Aaron Phypers has not yet officially responded to the lawsuit. The case remains unresolved, and Perry is seeking compensation on behalf of Katsioula-Beall’s estate.

Aaron Phypers, husband of actress Denise Richards, will appear in the upcoming reality TV series alongside his wife and family. Denise Richards and the Wild ThingsPremieres on E! in 2025, as reported by Collider. Beyond this project, Phypers has not announced any involvement in any new acting roles. He continues to run his wellness center and focuses on holistic healing practices.