Who Is Jean Kasem? New Details On The Allegations By (And Against) Casey Kasem's Widow
Things are getting weird.
Instagram It's been over four years since Casey Kasem passed away, but the circumstances surrounding his death continue to get stranger. In a recent interview on Dylan Howard's podcast All Rise, Kasem's widow, Jean Kasem, dropped a bombshell allegation claiming that the Church of Scientology was behind an evil plot to kill her late husband.
According to Jean's allegations, Kasem's three children were also involved in the plot, which was allegedly devised in order to seize the late host's $80 million-dollar fortune, including a life insurance policy worth $2.1 mil.
“It was pre-planned,” Jean told Howard in the interview. “It’s very clear and it’s very convincing that they wanted to seek physical control of Casey, human traffic him and trap him in a hospital, chemically restrain him and kill him.”
The investigation into Kasem's death has been reopened in the wake of his widow's allegations. So who is Jean Kasem? Here's everything you need to know about Casey Kasem's widow and all the allegations surrounding her husband's mysterious death.
1. She's an actress
Like her late husband, Jean Kasem was a public figure. Her early appearances included various small TV gigs before landing the role of Loretta Tortelli on Cheers. Her other credits include appearances in shows like Growing Pains, Nurses, and Hope & Gloria. According to IMDB, her last role was in 1999.
2. First marriage
Prior to wedding Casey, Jean Kasem married a Navy Lieutenant when she was a 17-year-old student at the University of Guam. The marriage lasted six years, after which Kasem moved to California and began to pursue a career in Hollywood.
3. Marriage to Casey Kasem
Jean wed the famous radio personality in 1980. They remained married until his death in 2014. The couple had one child together, daughter Liberty Jean Kasem.
4. Stepchildren
Prior to marrying Jean, Casey Kasem had three children from his previous marriage to Linda Meyers. Kasem's children, Mike, Julie, and Kerri Kasem, are the targets of Jean's recent allegations.
5. Conservatorship
The family drama between Jean and her stepchildren began back in 2013 when Kasem was first diagnosed with Lewy body dementia. After Jean allegedly prevented Kasem's children from seeing their father, they filed a conservatorship petition, which was eventually granted to daughter Kerri.
6. Allegations against Jean
Shortly after Casey Kasem's death, his children filed a wrongful death suit against Jean, claiming that their father's widow was responsible for his death. According to the claim, Jean took an ailing Kasem on a seven-day trip across the US in May 2014, from which he returned with multiple complications including a massively-infected bedsore. Kasem's children claim that his widow's neglect contributed to his death the following month.
7. Countersuit
In response to the allegations, Jean filed her own suit, claiming Kasem's children are the ones responsible for his death. “They killed my husband,” claimed Jean in a 48 Hours special that aired on November 24. “They killed their father. It was always about the money. We became the bank of Kasem. We were the personal ATM machine.” Her stepchildren, meanwhile, have adamantly denied the claims. “She is literally accusing us, Casey Kasem’s children, of doing what we have been accusing her of for the past five years! She has no defense, except to try and accuse the other person of what YOU have done yourself!” Kerri told RadarOnline.
“We didn’t do anything,” she said. “She killed my dad after taking him to three states. We tried to save his life. All the hospital record says is that my dad was dying. That’s going to come out," she continued.
The trial is set to begin next spring.
Kayla Kibbe is a writer wrapping up her final semester at Connecticut College where she is an English major with a concentration in creative writing. She covers trending celebrity and entertainment news, love and relationships, and astrology.
WATCH: 48 Hours Preview: The Mysterious Death Of Casey Kasem