Anti-aging biotech tycoon is accused of manipulation by fiancée
EXCLUSIVE: Biotech tycoon who spends $2M a year to reverse his aging process ‘insisted fiancée tell him of all her past lovers and sex acts’ – then dumped her when her breast cancer diagnosis turned her into a ‘net negative’
- Billionaire Bryan Johnson, 45, spends millions trying to reverse the aging process, so he can have the organs of an 18-year-old
- But ex-fiancée Taryn Southern claims he kicked her out of their LA home and reneged on their separation deal after she was diagnosed with cancer in 2019
- The film director, 37, is suing the tech entrepreneur claiming he manipulated her into ‘devoting all her time’ to his personal and professional needs’
The ex-fiancée of the billionaire biotech tycoon who has spent millions of dollars in efforts to reverse the aging process, has accused him of ‘manipulative’ and ‘controlling’ behavior throughout their three-year relationship – and then dumping her when she became ill.
Film director and tech artist Taryn Southern says Bryan Johnson, 45, insisted she tell him about all her previous lovers – and even what sex acts they got up to, she claims in a lawsuit obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com.
‘Defendant Johnson pushed Ms. Southern to share a full list of her past sexual partners with him and describe the sexual acts that took place,’ the suit states.
Johnson allegedly promised to support Southern financially and medically for the ‘rest of her life’ – even placing her in an expensive wellness program because he wanted her around ‘forever.’
In exchange, he would receive Southern’s companionship as well as her ‘intellectual and professional’ services for his various business projects and ventures, Southern says in court papers filed in Los Angeles.
Johnson – an entrepreneur and venture capitalist – was best known for founding Braintree Payment Solutions which he sold in 2013 for $800million
Southern, 37, and Johnson, 45, began dating in 2016, when she was a pioneering content creator and comedian on YouTube. They attended the Tribeca Film Festival screening of their movie I am Human in May 2019
But after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019, Southern, 37, claims the venture capitalist kicked her out of their Los Angeles home and went back on his $149,000 separation agreement.
He ordered her to move out, saying she had become ‘a bad deal’ and ‘net negative’, due to her illness and treatment.
The allegations are included in an October 2021 complaint accusing the tech entrepreneur of breaching his ‘agreement for lifelong financial support’ after Southern was allegedly forced to ‘devote all her time and attention to his personal and professional needs.’
The lawsuit, obtained by DailyMail.com, also describes Johnson’s purported ‘pattern of manipulative and coercive’ behavior, claiming he persuaded her to let him sleep with other women even though she wanted monogamy.
During their three year relationship Johnson allegedly had sex with at least a dozen other women – including prostitutes – and became ‘obsessed with his sexual conquests,’ Southern claims in the documents.
Johnson pursued Southern’s friends ‘aggressively’, she says, and found other women on ‘Sugar Daddy’ apps though he found paying for sex less ‘fun’.
He then allegedly forced her to sign a settlement agreement which deprived her of $149,000 he promised to help her settle in a new home and pay for her medical treatment.
In her filing, obtained by DailyMail.com, Southern claims Johnson had promised to support her financially as well as take care of her ‘medically’ for the rest of her life, in exchange for her companionship and intellectual and professional services
Actress and former YouTube vlogger Taryn Southern has accused her billionaire biotech tycoon ex Bryan Johnson (right) of kicking her out of their home and reneging on his agreement to support her after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019
The lawsuit can be revealed after it emerged that Johnson spends $2million a year on a team of 30 doctors that have made his body like that of a 37-year-old even though he is 45.
Johnson, who sold his payment company Braintree for $800million in 2013, wakes up at 5am, takes around two dozen supplements a day, and eats a strict vegan diet of blended foods with the aim of making his organs like those of an 18-year-old.
Johnson’s story went viral last week but DailyMail.com can reveal that there is a darker side to his life,according to his ex.
Southern alleged unjust enrichment, false promise and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
In the 27-page complaint, Southern is described as an early creator on YouTube, and a ‘successful entertainment figure’ who was ‘young, ambitious and hardworking.’ She also appeared in Season Three of American Idol, reaching the semi final and has made guest appearances on TV shows including Rules of Engagement and American Dad!
It claims she ‘stood to make millions’ until she met Johnson in 2016 who at the time was a ‘wealthy, yet lesser known, entrepreneur who yearned for public recognition.’
Southern claims that in 2016 her ex ‘was disappointed for not receiving the recognition he felt he deserved and felt discouraged by perceived slights from the powerful tech tycoons of Silicon Valley.’
The lawsuit states: ‘When he met Ms. Southern, he saw an intelligent, attractive, skillful, young woman who had the means to find an audience for his ideas and increase his media exposure and popularity.
‘He immediately swept Ms. Southern off her feet, expressing apparent sincerity in his desire to become lifelong partners. They moved in together within four months of meeting and, by March 2018, the ‘happy’ couple were engaged to be married.’
But life with Johnson came at a ‘steep price’, it is claimed.
Johnson is alleged to have told Southern that he ‘loved the way her brain worked’ and had an ‘intense desire to take care of her’
Taryn Southern (far left) is seen with fellow director Elena Gaby, neurosurgeon Dr. Andres Lozano and her now ex-fiancé Bryan Johnson (far right) onstage at the I Am Human screening at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City
While telling her to ‘stop worrying about money and promising to take care of her for the rest of her life,’ he demanded she devote all of her ‘time and creative energy to his personal and professional aspirations.’
The lawsuit states: ‘Although Ms. Southern had initial misgivings about working for Defendant Johnson, she genuinely believed that he loved her and that he intended to keep his promises.
‘As a result, and in reliance on Defendant Johnson’s repeated assurances, Ms. Southern made decisions that hurt her own career and left her financially dependent on Defendant Johnson,’ the papers state
The relationship went south and in October 2019 Johnson demanded that she move out of the home they had shared for three years – while she was in active treatment for Stage III breast cancer.
‘She had no independent source of steady income to support her living and medical expenses,’ the suit states.
Southern alleges that Johnson ‘took advantage of (her) weakened and vulnerable state’ and ‘leveraged his power and financial control’ over her to force her.
The aim was to force her to give up her rights to any financial security in the form of a stake in his tech startup Kernel, which she helped to ‘grow.’
The lawsuit alleges: ‘When Ms. Southern pushed back, Defendant Johnson resorted to threats, coercion and manipulation to get her to submit to his demands.
‘Ms. Southern had endured Defendant Johnson’s pattern of manipulative and coercive behavior throughout their relationship; however, once in cancer treatment, when aggressive treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, antibody infusions, and targeted therapies left her emotionally and physically vulnerable, Defendant Johnson saw his opportunity to force Ms. Southern under an intense and targeted campaign of physical, emotional, and financial distress to execute an agreement that purported to silence Ms. Southern and curtail her entitlement to financial support, and payment of outstanding debts and equity in Kernel.’
Southern’s lawyers added: ‘The law does not condone such outrageous conduct, and Ms. Southern brings this action to remedy the substantial harm Defendant Johnson has caused.’
Through his venture, ‘Project Blueprint, Johnson and his doctors say he has reduced his overall biological age by more than five years and now has the heart of a 37-year-old, the skin of a 28-year-old and the lung capacity and fitness of an 18-year-old
Johnson’s home in Venice, California, was modified to include a full medical suite
Johnson founded his tech company Kernel in 2016, which has since its focus to monitoring and recording brain activity. As part of his anti-aging effort, he exercises for an hour a day with more intensive workout sessions three times a week
The lawsuit details how on their first date Johnson was ‘particularly impressed’ with Southern’s ‘upbeat energy, sense of humor and unique ambitions.’
He told her that he ‘loved the way her brain worked’ and at the end of the date said he had an ‘intense desire to take care of her’, it is claimed.
In the following weeks, Johnson ‘moved quickly to romance Ms. Southern’, telling her that he ‘fantasized’ about them getting married, even referring to her as ‘Mrs. Johnson’ several times.
Johnson took Southern on romantic trips on his private jet and made plans to build a life together.
Within a month of dating he introduced her to his three children and flew her to Colorado to meet his personal doctor who put her on an ‘expensive personalized wellness program’ which he would pay for for the next three years.
According to the complaint, Johnson said Southern’s health was his ‘top priority’ because he wanted her around ‘forever.’
Johnson also asked Southern to help him with his business projects, marketing and the development of Kernel.
The lawsuit said that the couple decided to ‘pool their resources’: Johnson’s money and Southern’s ’emotional support, organizing and planning skills’.
Johnson promised to ‘share profits from Kernel’s eventual success’ and to ‘take care of Southern for the rest of her life.’
They moved in together to a rented $2.8million property in Venice, California, and Southern’s career took a ‘back seat’ as there was ‘no room’ for it when she was living with Johnson.
Johnson claims to take in exactly 1,977 calories a day, ensuring his body fat body fat hovers between 5 and 6 percent
The lawsuit states: ‘Not only did she have to work around the clock to meet Defendant Johnson’s mounting needs, both personally and professionally, he also pressed Ms. Southern to turn down outside work opportunities and social engagements that he deemed too small, distracting or not aligned with his mission.
‘This included pushing her to remove dozens of her most popular monetized YouTube videos, allegedly because they were not aligned with his public image.’
Southern’s work for Johnson expanded to blogging for him, writing his speeches, filming him giving talks, hiring an Academy Award nominated director and production company for a film project and giving him wardrobe advice.
She sold her property in Los Angeles and relied entirely on Johnson for support, becoming ‘wholly financially dependent’ upon him, she claims.
The film project, a movie called I am Human about human advancements through technology – which starred Johnson – was well received at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival but after that Southern suffered a major setback when she was diagnosed with cancer.
Soon after Johnson allegedly became ‘notably more absent from the home and increasingly emotionally distant.’
The lawsuit states: ‘Ms. Southern’s own family and friends were stunned by Defendant Johnson’s seeming disengagement in his fiancée’s emotional well-being during such a critical time.’
The following month when she was her ‘most vulnerable’, he told her that he wanted to split up from her, it is claimed.
The court papers say that Johnson told her to move out as it would be ‘very inconvenient’ for him to do so.
According to Southern’s complaint, Johnson became increasingly hostile and would remind her that she needed to move out ‘as soon as possible,’ and that she had become ‘a bad deal’ and ‘net negative’ – referring to her cancer diagnosis
The lawsuit, obtained by DailyMail.com, also describes Johnson’s purported ‘pattern of manipulative and coercive’ behavior towards his ex
The complaint says: ‘Whatever inconvenience Defendant Johnson faced paled in comparison to the pressures and stress Ms. Southern was going to face in having to search for a place to live and move while recovering from chemotherapy, navigating the unknowns of her diagnosis, and preparing for surgery and radiation at the end of October.’
Southern claims he offered to pay her $5,000 a month to cover her rent, $7,000 a month for living expenses and $5,000 a month for moving costs, totaling $149,000.
Over the coming weeks, Johnson allegedly became ‘increasingly hostile’ at home and refused to speak to her except to say she needed to move out ‘as soon as possible’.
He called her ‘bad deal’ and a ‘net negative’ – referring to her cancer diagnosis, it is claimed.
Johnson even allegedly barred her from posting about seeking a new place on Facebook as it would ‘make him look bad.’
The complaint states: ‘During this time, Ms. Southern was terrified by Defendant Johnson’s demands that she maintain silence throughout their separation, adding to her duress.’
Southern claims that Johnson’s lawyers sent her a letter demanding that for the money she had to agree to a confidentiality clause and issue a joint statement saying their breakup was ‘mutual and lovingly made.’
The statement would say they were ‘best friends’ and had a ‘cherished friendship.’
The allegations are included in an October 2021 complaint accusing the tech entrepreneur of breaching his ‘agreement for lifelong financial support’
Johnson founded Kernel which focuses on monitoring and recording brain activity and, according to the suit, longed for recognition and media exposure around his ideas
Southern alleges that her ex even placed her on an expensive personalized wellness program explaining that her health was a top priority because he wanted her around ‘forever’
The complaint states: ‘Ms. Southern was shocked that he would request she publicly lie in order to protect his public image. Because of these issues, and at the advice of her attorney, Ms. Southern declined to sign this written separation agreement.’
Johnson responded by allegedly threatening to pursue Southern for half of the rent at their former home for the three years she had lived there.
He fired her from her employment and consultant jobs for his companies, it is claimed, meaning she had no health insurance midway through her cancer treatment.
In tears, Southern went to Johnson but he said he would only help her if she signed the separation agreement.
In February 2020, she eventually agreed to sign the separation agreement as she was ‘physically and emotionally drained’ after weeks of radiation therapy.
In hindsight, Southern claims that Johnson has a ‘long history of coercion, exploitation and silencing.’
Her complaint states: ‘Indeed, what Ms. Southern now realizes is Defendant Johnson had been working since the start of the relationship to exert dominion and control over her personal life and financial independence, and to emotionally push her to the limit and submit her to his every whim.
‘In one early example, Defendant Johnson pushed Ms. Southern to share a full list of her past sexual partners with him and describe the sexual acts that took place.
‘During this demeaning and humiliating exchange, Defendant Johnson told Ms. Southern that he was concerned about suffering any reputational risk as a result of her having been with or dated other men, in spite of the fact that Defendant Johnson had been dating – and sleeping with – a myriad of women after his divorce and before meeting her.’
Johnson allegedly used burner phones and made Southern communicate with him on Signal, the private messaging app where he set messages to disappear.
Southern had to use an out of state mailbox which was sent on to her via a digitizing platform which his staff could access, it is claimed.
She also had to use aliases for her deliveries and emails with vendors and he refused to use credit cards or provide a passport at hotels due to ‘privacy’ worries, it is claimed.
Johnson has undergone a significant transformation since embarking on the project. He is pictured here in 2017
He claims to take in an exact 1,977 calories a day through a strictly vegan diet, ensuring his body fat levels remain between 5 and 6 percent
Johnson now lives in Venice, California, in a home he purchased in 2017 for $5.7million
He wakes up at 5am and takes around two dozen supplements to start his day
The complaint states that Johnson ‘pressured Ms Southern into letting him have sex with other women.’
The document claims: ‘Despite her objections and repeated requests for monogamy, Ms. Southern estimates Defendant Johnson had sex with more than a dozen women, perhaps more, during their time together. Some of these women he knew – he aggressively pursued and propositioned Ms. Southern’s own friends and acquaintances – while other women were paid prostitutes or girls from “Sugar Daddy” apps.
‘Paying for sex, however, was less ‘fun’ for Johnson than seducing women, and he became obsessed with his sexual conquests and relaying the details of his triumphs to Ms. Southern under the guise of ‘radical transparency and honesty.’
Johnson found ways to gaslight or manipulate her objections to his infidelity to make her seem like the insensible one.
He claimed she was the one making him feel ‘ashamed’ and that if she supported him it would make his ‘love for her grow more intense.’
If she cried he told her she was going through a ‘phase’, it is claimed, even though she had to endure his ‘increasingly unpredictable sexual behavior.’
The lawsuit states: ‘Rather than bargaining with Ms. Southern fairly after the breakup, Defendant Johnson directed his legal resources to overwhelm, threaten, and terrify her; and his businesses to terminate her work and cut off her income, including her pay for work already completed. He even instructed his law firm to fire her so that she would be without legal representation, so that he could more effectively pressure her to sign off on her rights.’
The lawsuit has been sent to arbitration and is currently set for a status conference in May before a judge in Los Angeles.
An attorney for Southern would not comment when contacted by DailyMail.com. Lawyers for Johnson did not immediately respond.
In their response, lawyers for Johnson said that the complaint ‘states no claim’ and that Southern has ‘no right to any of the damages sought.’
The response calls Southern a ‘sophisticated operator’ and that Johnson only made her ‘vague promises’ and that she voluntarily entered into a separation agreement when the relationship was over to release him of all claims.
Eighteen months later she is trying to ‘walk away from it and her other contractual obligations,’ the document states.
The response goes on to accuse Southern of ‘extortion’ and states that she ‘threatened to make outlandish and salacious allegations about Mr. Johnson in a public forum unless he paid her exorbitant demands.’
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