LOS ANGELES — Dolly Parton's estate has reportedly accused the late singer's nephew of extortion and threats against staff.

On Tuesday, Parton's estate, She's Alive, LLC, requested a restraining order against Parton's nephew Bryan Seaver, court records show. The request came after he was fired from his job as head of security, as TMZ reported.

She's Alive is run by Parton's former manager Danny Nozell.

The New York Times reviewed court records containing allegations that Seaver began making demands shortly before Parton died. The demands grew into more serious threats, according to the records the news outlet cited, which the plaintiffs saw as an attempt to obtain money from the Parton estate.

Here's what to know.

Who is Bryan Seaver?

Parton's nephew, Bryan Seaver, shared the news of his aunt's death in a video posted to her Instagram account on Aug. 25.

In the video, Seaver, standing in front of a black background, introduces himself as the the son of Dolly's sister Cassie Parton and says he is representing the Parton and Owens family in announcing his aunt's death. The Owens are the maternal side of the country star's family.

"This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality," he says in the video.

Seaver adds that he followed in his father Larry's footsteps in becoming Parton's head of security, a post he held for more than 20 years.

Seaver and his company, Squadron Augmented Protection Services, LLC, are the defendants in the lawsuit. They were reportedly terminated about three weeks after the country icon's death.

Seaver did not immediately respond to The Times' request for comment.

According to the New York Times' reporting on the court records, the restraining order request, filed in Davidson County Chancery Court in Nashville, Tennessee, sought to keep Seaver away from Parton's properties and staff.

Who is Danny Nozell?

Nozell was Parton's longtime manager. He has claimed credit for helping revive Parton's international touring career.

He told The Times last month that Parton "worked up until the day she died" on multiple projects.

"She loved seeing her dreams come to life, and loved knowing her work brought people joy," Nozell said in the statement. "Ever the planner, Dolly worked with the team that she handpicked, for the past several years to build a project roadmap that will guide us for decades to come."

Nozell's website described his work with Parton as "arguably his most notable achievements."

What are the allegations?

The court records, according to the New York Times, include allegations that Seaver sent a profane threat to a Dollywood business partner, and that, separately, he referred to himself as a "killer" and "not an entertainment person" while corresponding with one of Parton's longtime lawyers.

According to TMZ, Seaver and his team said in a statement that they were "dismayed by the ... unexplained actions" following Parton's death and "[w]e remain unshakably resolved to fulfill her final directive to protect her family, and we refuse to be intimidated by those whose actions we believe are being taken in bad faith and with the intent to profit from the life of someone who willingly gave so much."

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