Kat Von D is pushing back after the son of a former landlord publicly accused her of causing a devastating fire that destroyed a historic Hollywood Hills mansion more than a decade ago. Teva Barnea, whose family owned the famed “Hollywood Castle,” recently took to TikTok with a series of allegations aimed at the celebrity tattoo artist, claiming her lifestyle and actions led to the blaze that consumed the property in 2010. The accusations have reignited a years-old dispute over what caused the fire and who was ultimately responsible.
In a TikTok video, Barnea claimed Kat Von D frequently filled the home with candles while renting the property. “I saw the way that she lived, and it was bizarre,” Barnea said. “There were candles everywhere. Candles of all sizes, big, small, wide, every single corner, every mantle, down the steps, along the walls, really everywhere.”
“Shocker, the house burned,” he added. The fire destroyed much of the sprawling Hollywood Hills mansion, killed Von D’s pet cat Valentine, and reportedly wiped out many of her personal belongings.
Longstanding Dispute Over What Caused The Blaze
According to Barnea, insurance investigations conducted after the fire concluded that unattended candles were responsible for igniting the blaze. Von D, however, has long disputed that version of events.
The former “LA Ink” star has consistently maintained that faulty wiring caused the fire and has pointed out that she was not home when it broke out. The dispute eventually resulted in legal action between the parties, with both sides arguing over the source of the devastating fire.
Teva Barnea Claims Fire Contributed To His Mother’s Death
Beyond blaming Von D for the destruction of the property, Barnea also alleged the aftermath of the fire took a significant toll on his late mother, Debra Dresbach.
According to Barnea, the years of litigation, restoration work, and stress surrounding the incident contributed to her declining health before she died from cancer in January 2025 at age 70. He claimed “the stress of the fires and the restoration process and the lawsuit” caused her cancer to return.
Barnea also accused Von D of sending his mother “spiteful, hateful emails” and described the reality television star as “a liar, a narcissist, truly a mean person.”
Following the viral TikTok videos, Von D released a statement of her own on social media, denying Barnea’s accusations. “This week, I’ve been accused of burning down a house and contributing to the death of a woman with cancer,” she said. “Teva is accusing me of burning down his mother’s house because I was lighting candles, which is not true. I wasn’t even in the home when the fire happened. I was on a book tour.”
Barnea Says Documents Support His Claims
After Von D publicly denied responsibility, Barnea posted a second TikTok video in which he claimed to possess official records related to the fire investigation. Holding up what he described as original fire documents, Barnea pointed to one specific conclusion. “No ignition sources other than candles were identified within the fire’s area of origin,” he said.
Neither Barnea’s claims nor the documents he referenced have been independently verified by The Blast.
Despite the devastating fire, the Hollywood Castle has since been restored. Barnea now reportedly lives in the property after inheriting it following his mother’s death.
Teva Barnea Explains Why He’s Speaking Out Now
As the controversy continues to gain attention online, Barnea says the reason he chose to share his family’s story now is that his mother is no longer here to tell it herself. In a new statement to PEOPLE, he explained that he remained quiet for years out of respect for his late mother, Debra Dresbach, who spent years fighting legal battles connected to the fire.
“Well, it wasn’t my story to tell so long as my mom was here, it was hers. And she fought so hard for years, to be my mom while facing the threat of losing everything she worked for. All because the person who negligently left candles burning didn’t want to admit it,” he claims.
Barnea went on to allege that Von D never accepted responsibility for the damage caused by the fire. “If she had it her way, she’d have taken everything from us, and left us with nothing. Not even an ounce of compensation. And certainly not an apology.”
Despite the renewed attention surrounding the years-old dispute, Barnea insisted his decision to speak publicly is about sharing what he believes happened rather than seeking further validation. “I’m telling the story because I believe some stories deserve to be told,” he said. “No need to justify that.”
