New details have surfaced in the legal dispute involving Tyler Perry and his sexual battery accuser, Mario Rodriguez.
According to alleged text messages obtained by TMZ, Rodriguez appeared to reach out to Perry for financial help weeks before filing his lawsuit. Several of the messages were reportedly sent on Aug. 31 and begin with Rodriguez explaining that he had not been feeling well and was dealing with dental issues.
In the texts, Rodriguez allegedly acknowledged that he had previously promised not to ask Perry for anything. He then claimed he did not have health insurance and expressed fear about a possible infection, referencing concerns about sepsis and saying he did not want to “die like my father.”
He reportedly told Perry he was scared and wanted reassurance that his condition was not serious.
Additional messages from earlier in 2024 allegedly show a much friendlier tone, with Rodriguez thanking Perry and expressing affection and appreciation for him.
The messages surfaced days after Rodriguez filed a lawsuit accusing Perry of sexual assault and sexual battery. In the filing, Rodriguez claims Perry made unwanted sexual advances and alleges that the filmmaker grabbed his penis during one encounter.
Perry has strongly denied the accusations. His attorney, Alex Spiro, dismissed the lawsuit in a statement to TMZ, calling it “nothing but a 77 million dollar money grab scam.”