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Home / MTV Unplugged in New York

Courtney Love settles suit over Kurt Cobain guitar, alleged threats

A musician who was once married to Courtney Love‘s daughter — and who alleged that the former Hole singer conspired with others to stage a break-in at his home in 2016 and kidnap or kill the plaintiff so that Kurt Cobain‘s legendary guitar could be retrieved — has reached a settlement with Love.

An attorney for the 57-year-old Love told Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Armen Tamzarian on Wednesday that the accord needs a final signature to be official. No terms were divulged.

The complaint filed in May 2018 alleges that in June 2016, former Britney Spears manager Osama “Sam” Lutfi, actor Ross Butler and another man, Yan Yukhtman, broke into Silva’s West Hollywood home and banged on his bedroom door, saying that they were members of the Los Angeles Police Department. Silva alleged he was dragged out of his home and taken away in a black Cadillac Escalade.

The 37-year-old Silva — the lead singer for the alternative rock band the Eeries — alleged that Love told Lutfi and the others to use threats in order to convince Silva to agree to a settlement agreement to return the guitar and concur with her other demands. Silva further alleged Love was the mastermind of the actions against his client.

However, lawyers for Love maintained that Silva made various admissions that undermined his entire case. In a sworn declaration in a related case, Love stated she was not involved with the events that allegedly happened at Silva’s home and that she did not speak with Lutfi or anyone else beforehand.

“I never conspired with anyone else to murder or kidnap Silva or take possession of the guitar,” Love said.

The 1959 Martin D-18E guitar was used during Nirvana’s iconic “MTV Unplugged in New York” performance in 1993. Cobain took his own life the next year.

After Love’s daughter, Frances Bean Cobain, filed for divorce from Silva in 2016, the guitar became a contested issue in their marital split. A family law judge awarded the instrument to Silva.

Love and Lutfi later had a falling-out and she obtained a temporary restraining order against him in December 2018, alleging he was harassing her and her family through emails, texts and phone calls.

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