Tiger Woodsis worried about what could be “another scandal” amid legal drama with hisex-girlfriend Erica Herman, a source close to the golfer tells PEOPLE.
With the news that Herman has filed a lawsuit accusing Woods of locking her out of his home and going back on an oral agreement that allowed her to live there for another five years, “Tiger feels like this is another shakedown,” the source says.
Woods, 47, is worried about how this will play out publicly, the insider adds. “He doesn’t want another scandal.”
The source says that Woods believes Herman, 38, is aware of her ex-boyfriend’s concern over another public fallout from a romantic relationship. “It terrifies him,” the source says, adding, “And she knows that because they’ve talked about it.”
As the former couple’s legal disputes continue, the source says, “there’s a lot of panic right now” for Woods. “No one wants the details of a long relationship to be made public.”
The situation is “a nightmare for him,” says the source.
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Additionally, the source close to Woods says the $30 million Herman asks for in the filing “is ridiculous.”
Woods “has to decide whether it’s worth paying that amount so that this can go away,” says the insider. “Or else, will he see her giving an interview to Dr. Phil? He is trying to protect himself.”
On Monday, Herman filed a complaint asking to be removed from a non-disclosure agreement she signed in 2017, citing a law that allows NDAs to be nullified in cases of sexual assault. However, Herman has not made any accusations against Woods.
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The motion states that Woods and Herman “had a long relationship” that was both professional and personal. Herman claims she is “currently unsure what other information about her own life she may discuss or with whom.”
The complaint challenging the NDA follows the initial lawsuit, filed in December, claiming she had an oral agreement with the Trust that allowed her to live at Woods' home for another five years. In the filing, a defendant — Jupiter Island Irrevocable Homestead Trust — asks for Herman’s lawsuit to be heard before an arbitrator.
Lawyers for the Trust argue that Herman was only allowed to live in the home while she was dating Woods. Herman was told she had to move out after Woods ended their relationship back in October.
Herman is suing for consequential monetary damages, injunctive relief, and attorneys' fees under the Florida Residential Landlord Tenant Act, per the court documents.
source: people.com
