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Sheel Seidler, widow of San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler, is suing for control of the team.
She is attempting to wrest control from two of her late husband‘s brothers, Bob and Matt Seidler, alleging breach of fiduciary duty and fraud.
Sheel released a statement via social media on Monday explaining her decision to take legal action.
“Aside from our three wonderful children, and our marriage, there was nothing Peter and I valued more than the opportunity to serve as stewards of this extraordinary franchise,” she wrote. “For more than a decade, we put our heart and soul into its success, and those who saw our shared commitment up close know it was a true partnership every step of the way. And so, as the holder of the largest individual ownership stake in the San Diego Padres, and the sole beneficiary of the Seidler Trusts, which possess exclusive rights with respect to control of the franchise, I am seeking to be named the control person for the Padres.”
Sheel added that her suit is a “very last resort” and that she did not want to litigate the matter publicly, but was doing so in order to “do what it takes to protect [her] children.”
“Peter and I always planned, one day. to leave the team to the children,” she continued. “That remains my steadfast commitment. In the meantime, it is my intention to build upon the many recent successes, investing in both the short-term and long-term future of the franchise, and ensuring our dream of multiple championships is fulfilled.”
Sheel Seidler's claims in lawsuit for control of Padres
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Sheel filed her lawsuit in a Texas state probate court on Monday, where she outlined her allegations against Peter's brothers.
As reported by Sportico's Eben Novy-William, Sheel argues that Bob and Matt had “irreconcilable conflicts of interest” and conspired to sell Seidler Trust assets to themselves at “far-below-market prices,” as part of their scheme “to solidify their control of the Padres.”
The suit also alleged that Bob's wife sent “racist, profane and hateful communications directed at Sheel—a woman of Indian descent—in communications.” She used that to support her claim that the brothers had racist and sexist motivations in their desire to control the team, seeing it “as their family business and ancestral right.”
Additionally, Sheel added that before Peter's death, he expressed his wishes for Sheel to take control of the team before handing it down to their children.
She hopes for both “actual and exemplary damages, attorneys fees and pre- and post-judgment interest,” according to Sportico.
