Update 08/15/2023 6:45am:

Sean Tuohy is responding to Michael Oher's claims that he was duped into signing into a consevatorship with the Tuohy's days before his 18th birthday. Tuohy says the claims are "insulting," and he's "devastated" behind the accusations. 

Tuohy told the Daily Memphian that he never tricked Oher into signing anything and that the family did not make millions from the film, The Blind Side. "I sat Michael down and told him, 'If you're planning to go to Ole Miss -- or even considering Ole Miss -- we think you have to be part of the family,'" Tuohy said. "'This would do that, legally.'"

"We contacted lawyers who had told us that we couldn't adopt over the age of 18; the only thing we could do was to have a conservatorship. We were so concerned it was on the up-and-up that we made sure the biological mother came to court."

He also noted that it was made explicit that there wouldn't be an issue if Oher decided to end the conservatorship at any time. Tuohy also remarked on the idea that the family was enriched by adapting Michael's story for film. 

"We didn’t make any money off the movie," Tuohy said. "Well, Michael Lewis ['The Blind Side' book author] gave us half of his share. Everybody in the family got an equal share, including Michael. It was about $14,000, each."

Tuohy said he wasn't nearly in dire straits for money since selling his fast-food franchises and amassing roughly $200 million. "I will say it’s upsetting that people would think I would want to make money off any of my children," he said.

Tuohy said that Oher was still close to the family until about a year and half ago. "No question, the allegations are insulting," he said, "but, look, it's a crazy world. You've got to live in it. It's obviously upset everybody."

Original 08/14/2023 3:59pm:

Former NFL player Michael Oher became a household name after his life's story was depicted in the blockbuster hit film The Blind Side. However, in a petition he filed on Monday (August 14), Oher claimed that the story about him being adopted by the Tuohy family was a lie. 

Oher claimed that Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy tricked him into signing a document making them his conservators three days after turning 18. This gave them legal authority to make business deals in his name, including millions of dollars in royalties from the Oscar-winning film. Oher says he got nothing for a story "that would not have existed without him."

The court filings state, "The lie of Michael's adoption is one upon which Co-Conservators Leigh Anne Tuohy and Sean Tuohy have enriched themselves at the expense of their Ward, the undersigned Michael Oher. Michael Oher discovered this lie to his chagrin and embarrassment in February of 2023, when he learned that the Conservatorship to which he consented on the basis that doing so would make him a member of the Tuohy family, in fact provided him no familial relationship with the Tuohys."

The petition adds, "Since at least August of 2004, Conservators have allowed Michael, specifically, and the public, generally, to believe that Conservators adopted Michael and have used that untruth to gain financial advantages for themselves and the foundations which they own or which they exercise control. All monies made in said manner should in all conscience and equity be disgorged and paid over to the said ward, Michael Oher."

Source: ESPN