EXCLUSIVE: ‘Hulk’ star Lou Ferrigno’s wife of 43 years Carla files for divorce, accusing him of openly flaunting his mistress and keeping her ‘trapped’ in an abusive marriage following her dementia diagnosis

The wife of ‘The Incredible Hulk’ star Lou Ferrigno has filed for divorce, accusing him of impersonating her lover and trapping her in an abusive and controlling marriage after she was diagnosed with dementia, may DailyMail.com exclusively reveals.

Ferrigno’s wife, Carla, 74, made the troubling allegations in recent court filings in San Luis Obispo County, California, after she opposed his attempt to create a court-ordered conservatorship to oversee her affairs.

It comes after Ferrigno, 71, claimed in court that Carla had ‘advanced dementia’ and accused their daughter Shanna, 42, of ‘elder abuse’ for trying to take Carla to the bank to withdraw $500,000.

In response, Carla now accuses Ferrigno, her husband of 43 years, of secretly cutting off her access to their joint finances and keeping her physically isolated to prevent her from getting a divorce.

In a signed statement, she also claims that Ferrigno is having a brazen affair with a lover named Lisa, “with whom he spends most of his time, traveling in his various guises and appearing on mine even when he is at home”.

Lou Ferrigno is seen with wife Carla and their children Lou Jr and Shanna in 2020. Carla has filed for divorce and is contesting Lou's claims that her daughter is responsible for 'elder abuse'

Lou Ferrigno is seen with wife Carla and their children Lou Jr and Shanna in 2020. Carla has filed for divorce and is contesting Lou’s claims that her daughter is responsible for ‘elder abuse’

Ferrigno was a bodybuilding rival of Arnold Schwarzenegger before becoming an actor best known for The Incredible Hulk.

Ferrigno was a bodybuilding rival of Arnold Schwarzenegger before becoming an actor best known for The Incredible Hulk.

While his infidelity may not be abuse, when I get upset with him about her being around, he physically intimidates me by getting in my face and using his much larger size – he will remind them to everyone that he’s the Hulk – compared to me. slight stature, to frighten and control me in delivery,” said Carla.

“As he towers over me, he yells at me, making horrible claims about me and making sure I know I’m ruining his life and that he won’t take care of me,” she adds.

Ferrigno was a bodybuilding rival of Arnold Schwarzenegger before becoming an actor best known for The Hulk – and their rivalry was the subject of the 1977 documentary Pumping Iron.

Ferrigno’s lawyer, Vatche Zetjian, responded in a statement to DailyMail.com, saying: “Lou’s priority remains the well-being of his wife. All restraining orders recently mentioned in the press have been suspended by mutual agreement of the parties.

Lou and Carla, through a lawyer, have agreed to mediate, and Lou’s hope remains that they can reach an amicable settlement. Lou requests privacy for all members of his family at this time.’

Although Carla confirms in the filing that she has been diagnosed with dementia, both her doctor and lawyer say she has repeatedly expressed her desire for a divorce for years and has the ability to understand this decision.

“Lou decided to create what can only be described as a Machiavellian scheme to try to trap Carla into marriage so that he could keep all the wealth that Carla and Lou had amassed during their 43-year marriage.” , Carla’s lawyers wrote in a filing.

These assets include the $2.9 million mansion the couple bought in 2019 in Arroyo Grande, California.

California community property law typically requires that any assets earned during a marriage, or purchased with those earnings, be divided equally in a divorce.

Text messages between Lou and Shanna, including the files, purport to show Lou complaining that Carla wanted to divorce him more than a year ago.

In multiple messages, Lou shares his concern that a divorce would mean losing their mansion, writing “She can take my house” and “she wants to take my beautiful house.”

Carla's lawyers claimed Ferrigno is keeping her 'trapped' in their marriage because he fears losing the $2.9 million mansion they bought in 2019.

Carla’s lawyers claimed Ferrigno is keeping her ‘trapped’ in their marriage because he fears losing the $2.9 million mansion they bought in 2019.

Text messages between Lou and Shanna, including the files, purport to show Lou complaining that Carla wanted to divorce him more than a year ago.

Lou shares his concern that a divorce would mean losing his Arroyo Grande, California residence

Text messages between Lou and Shanna, including the files, purport to show Lou complaining that Carla wanted to divorce him more than a year ago.

It comes after Ferrigno, 71, accused their daughter Shanna, 42 (above), of 'elder abuse' for trying to take Carla to the bank to withdraw $500,000.

It comes after Ferrigno, 71, accused their daughter Shanna, 42 (above), of ‘elder abuse’ for trying to take Carla to the bank to withdraw $500,000.

According to court filings reviewed by DailyMail.com, Carla met with her lawyers Gary Hunt and Alex Newsum on September 8 to seek a divorce.

“Without disclosing any attorney-client communications, I can say that Carla expressed a clear desire to divorce her husband, Lou Ferrigno, and hire our office to pursue that action,” Newsum said in a statement. signed.

Newsum said he followed up with a phone call with Carla’s neurologist of the past three years, Dr. Robert Price, to consult on her state of mind.

According to Newsum, and verified in a letter signed by Price, the doctor expressed his belief that Carla had the ability to understand and express her wishes regarding a divorce and pursue the necessary legal action.

Price wrote in his Sept. 13 letter that during their first meeting in 2020, Carla had ‘complained bitterly’ about her marriage, particularly the recent move to Arroyo Grande and the mansion, which she thought was ‘ inspired only by her husband and his needs. .’

On September 14, Carla’s lawyers filed for divorce and a request for a restraining order, which included the affidavit outlining the alleged abuse and a supporting affidavit from employed caregiver Kari Shaw.

“Through recent filings and statements through his lawyers, Lou has disclosed that I have been diagnosed with dementia, but what he leaves out is his frustration with that fact and my aging in a way that prevents me from continuing with him. . , has caused him to abuse me in many ways,” she said in the statement.

“I won’t deny that I’m not in the same state as I was when I was younger, but I know what’s going on around me, how Lou treats me and that he’s trying to make sure I’m treated as a complete incompetent. so that he can use our wealth and let me die,” she continued.

“I know I want a divorce and that Lou is trying to stop that by isolating me from the rest of the family,” Carla said.

Lou and Carla Ferrigno were photographed in 1985 in Los Angeles.  They got married in 1980

Lou and Carla Ferrigno were photographed in 1985 in Los Angeles. They got married in 1980

Lou Ferrigno was a famous bodybuilder and later actor in the 1970s and 80s

Lou Ferrigno was a famous bodybuilder and later actor in the 1970s and 80s

Carla also appeared to address Lou’s earlier claims that her daughter, Shanna, tried to trick him into withdrawing $500,000 from his bank account — though the filing doesn’t clearly state she’s describing the same incident.

In a restraining order, Lou claimed that Shanna, a fitness trainer, and her aunt, Carla’s sister Pam Voge, were trying to grab Carla’s assets and accused them of ‘financially exploiting’ Carla.

Carla said in her statement: “I believed I had access to some joint accounts and credit cards, but I recently went to the bank to access this, and Lou had used estate planning documents to restrict my access and he was notified of my attempt. I came to the bank and made sure that I did not have access to our money in any way.’

The affidavit makes troubling claims that Lou severely restricts Carla’s movements within the residence by locking interior doors, confining her to her bedroom and kitchen.

She claims he failed to make the house safer for her declining mental state by installing pull-ups on the stairs, or a fence around the pool.

She claims her bed smells like dog urine because her 17-year-old dog had trouble walking down the stairs to go outside, and that Lou refuses to steam clean the carpet.

‘Lou has and continues to exercise complete control over me through physical intimidation, emotional abuse, restricting my movement within our home, depriving me of access to our property and, most worryingly for me, trying to ensure that I I don’t have access to my family, including our children,” said Carla.

She claimed Lou’s claim against Shanna was an attempt to cut her off from family who could help her.

“While for a long time Lou was willing to allow me to be looked after by our daughter and my sister, as well as employed carers, now that they are calling him out on his abuse, he is taking measures to limit my contact with them”, said Carla.

Carla told the court that she would like her daughter Shanna to manage her affairs, or alternatively, her son Lou Jr.

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