Michael Oher, the former NFL player whose story of poverty and adoption was the subject of the 2009 movie “The Blind Side,” petitioned a Tennessee court on Monday, alleging he was never adopted and his so-called adoptive parents exploited him for money.
According to ESPN, Oher accused Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy of never adopting him after bringing him into their home when he was in high school. Oher said that three months after turning 18, the Tu0hys tricked him into signing a document that placed him into a conservatorship which gave them the legal authority to make business decisions on his behalf.
Oher’s attorney said signing onto the conservatorship was a “necessary” step in the adoption process.
However, Oher has asked a Shelby County court to end the conservatorship — claiming he recieved “nothing” from “The Blind Side,” which brought in $309 million at the box office. Meanwhile, the Tuohys signed a deal which gave them a one-time payout of $225,000 plus 2.5 percent of all proceeds from the movie, according to The Tennessean.
“Michael Oher discovered this lie [his adoption] to his chagrin and embarrassment in February of 2023, when he learned that the Conservatorship to which he consented on the basis that doing so would make him a member of the Tuohy family, in fact provided him no familial relationship with the Tuohys,” the petition reads.
Sean Tuohy told the Daily Memphian that his family is “devastated” by Oher’s claims, which also include allegations that he and his wife used the fraudulent adoption to establish foundations and garner more money.
Oher also asked the court to bar the Tuohys from using his name and likeness and to have the couple compensate him a share of the profits.
The Tuohys’ attorney told ESPN that they will file a response to Oher’s petition in the coming weeks.
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast. Listen to the latest episode:
[Featured image: AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File]
