What did Aaron Phypers allegedly do? Lawsuit filed against Denise Richards’ husband claims he defrauded cancer patient

On By Littum

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.

Legal documents obtained by Weekly contact and OK! Magazine reveals that Rupert Perry, executor of the estate of the late Elina Katsioula-Beall, commenced the action on November 13, 2024, accusing the Phypers of breach of oral contract and fraud/false promise.

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

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

Believing his claims, the couple paid $126,000 for treatments performed between July and September 2023. However, the lawsuit says the treatments didn’t work when an MRI in December 2023 showed a 25% growth in Katsioula-Beall’s tumors. Despite repeated requests for a $63,000 refund as promised, Phypers allegedly ignored them and suggested additional treatments instead.

Allegations of fraud against Aaron Phypers

The lawsuit details Katsioula-Beall’s several attempts to get back the promised repayment before she dies. In December 2023 and February 2024, she emailed Aaron Phypers seeking a refund, but he reportedly failed to 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.

Despite this, no payment was made, even after Katsioula-Beall sent another email with an invoice on 29 March 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 not paying. Rupert Perry’s lawsuit accuses Phypers of “intentional, willful misconduct” and seeks unspecified general damages as well as punitive damages to deter such behavior in the future.

This was told by a source close to Phypers Weekly contact that he denies responsibility for the repayment, claiming that he was merely an intermediary who facilitated the proceedings. The source said the company administering the treatments had promised a refund and that Phypers had tried to contact its CEO on Perry’s behalf.

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

At this time, Aaron Phypers has not formally responded to the lawsuit. The case is still pending, and Perry is seeking damages on behalf of Katsioula-Beall’s estate.

Aaron Phypers, husband of actress Denise Richards, is to appear with his wife and family in the upcoming reality TV series, Denise Richards and the Wild Thingspremiering on E! in 2025, as reported by Collider. Aside from this project, Phypers has not announced involvement in any new acting roles. He continues to manage his wellness center focusing on holistic healing practices.