Katy Perry Awarded $1.57 Million From Businesswoman Who Interfered With Convent Sale

Carol Kuruvilla
Updated
The former home of the Sisters of the Most Holy and Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary sits high in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles. (Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The former home of the Sisters of the Most Holy and Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary sits high in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles. (Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Katy Perry won another round Friday in her bid to buy a former Los Angeles convent and turn it into the spectacular hilltop mansion of her dreams.

A jury found that Dana Hollister, a Los Angeles businesswoman, had intentionally interfered with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ sale of the former convent to the pop star, The Associated Press reports.

Hollister was ordered to foot the bill for lawyers’ fees and other expenses that her actions had cost the archdiocese and Perry. The jury determined that Hollister must pay about $5 million in total ― $3.47 million to the archdiocese and $1.57 million to Perry.

Katy Perry's purchase of the former convent is waiting for approval from the Vatican. (Photo: Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)
Katy Perry's purchase of the former convent is waiting for approval from the Vatican. (Photo: Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)

Perry, the daughter of two evangelical preachers, has had her eyes set on the eight-acre property with its Roman villa-style buildings in the Los Feliz neighborhood for two years now. The convent, once occupied by the Sisters of the Most Holy and Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, features stunning views of downtown Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Mountains.

There are only five members of the religious community left, and all are in their 70s or 80s. They stopped living in the Los Feliz convent in 2011, the Los Angeles Times reports.

But that doesn’t mean they were happy to have Perry move in.

A fountain stands overlooking the valley at the former convent in Los Angeles. (Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
A fountain stands overlooking the valley at the former convent in Los Angeles. (Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The Los Angeles diocese agreed to sell the property to Perry for $14.5 million. The singer also agreed to relocate a prayer retreat center used by local priests that’s on the grounds. The Vatican still needs to approve the sale.

The conflict arose when two of the nuns who used to live there tried to sell their former convent to Hollister instead. They’re reportedly not fans of Perry’s work. Earlier this year, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled that the nuns did not have the legal right to sell the property.

Next month, jurors will determine if Perry and the archdiocese should be awarded punitive damages on top of the legal fees, the Los Angeles Times reports.

See more photos of the former convent in the slideshow below.

The former home of the Sisters of the Most Holy and Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary stands on Waverly Drive in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles.
The former home of the Sisters of the Most Holy and Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary stands on Waverly Drive in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles.
There's a swimming pool on the eight acres.
There's a swimming pool on the eight acres.
A pipe organ keyboard stands in a room that once housed a chapel.
A pipe organ keyboard stands in a room that once housed a chapel.
This is the former convent's main hallway.
This is the former convent's main hallway.
A sculpture gazes at a fountain in front of the sisters' former home.
A sculpture gazes at a fountain in front of the sisters' former home.
The fireplace mantel, originally made by JD Mora, was hidden when the room was used as a chapel.
The fireplace mantel, originally made by JD Mora, was hidden when the room was used as a chapel.
The dining room shares the property's panoramic views.
The dining room shares the property's panoramic views.
Outside the former home of the Sisters of the Most Holy and Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Outside the former home of the Sisters of the Most Holy and Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
A dog walks past the sparkling blue swimming pool.
A dog walks past the sparkling blue swimming pool.
A fountain overlooks the valley and the city of Los Angeles.
A fountain overlooks the valley and the city of Los Angeles.
Stained glasswork depicts the home's original owner Earle C. Anthony.
Stained glasswork depicts the home's original owner Earle C. Anthony.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.