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Tony Bennett's daughters have accused their brother of exerting financial control over their father's estate in a new lawsuit. Antonia and Johanna filed the lawsuit against brother, D’Andrea 'Danny'Bennett on Monday, March 31, as reported by People magazine.
Per the outlet, the late jazz legend's daughters have claimed they want to "protect their father's wishes" against "unlawful conduct" exhibited by their brother. The sisters are also accusing Danny of exercising "unchecked control" over their father's finances, both before and after his demise, and "has abused, and continues to abuse" this power for his own personal gain.
Tony Bennett died in July 2023 at the age of 96. He was father to four children: His oldest son, D'Andrea 'Danny' Bennett, born in 1954, son Daegal 'Dae' Bennett, born in 1955, his daughter Johanna, born in 1969, and daughter, Antonia, born in 1974.
Everything we know about Tony Bennett's internal family feud
According to WJHL, a part of the suit reads:
"Since Tony’s death, Johanna and Antonia have discovered that Danny exercised complete and unchecked control over Tony and his financial affairs prior to and following his death through multiple fiduciary and other roles of authority that Danny has abused, and continues to abuse, for his own significant financial gain."
The suit also accuses Danny Bennett of taking advantage of his father's diminished mental capacity later in life, which stemmed from Alzheimer’s disease, allowing him to rake in millions for himself and his company. They also outlined the sale of Tony Bennett’s catalog and his name, likeness and image rights to Iconoclast, which is a brand development firm.
People has further reported:
Antonia and Johanna have also alleged that their older brother has been acting “as though he is the sole beneficiary of Tony’s assets and accountable to no one,” adding that he's been withholding money and items that have “deep sentimental value."
They also claim that he,
"refused for months to even give Johanna and Antonia access” to their father's apartment so they could lay claim to it.
The suit states:
“Tony maintained a loving and devoted relationship with all of his children and his estate plan expressly provides that all four children be treated equally.”
Per USA Today, the sisters are petitioning that the court look into the accounts of his financial activities as trustee, citing:
His "history of making distributions to himself, engag(ing) in transactions in which he was on all sides of the deal," and the alleged lack of "meaningful oversight of his conduct."
The suit states:
“The centerpiece of the photos published by The New York Times Magazine was Tony’s piano, which Tony specifically bequeathed to his daughter Antonia, but which she was prohibited from seeing and would not actually receive until months later.”
Per the outlet, when Antonia finally did see her father's apartment last year, the piano in question,
“was in terrible condition and was being held in a manner that caused further damage to the instrument." She also claims that her legal counsel “had to negotiate with Danny and his counsel" so that they could "reimburse Antonia for the costs she incurred in having [it] delivered to her residence.”
The suit further claims:
Danny allegedly “repeatedly pressured Antonia to sell the piano” at an auction “because it would hopefully cause other items to sell for a higher price." Furthermore, “Danny’s counsel simply reported that most of Tony’s clothing was donated to charity without notice to Johanna and Antonia,” it states, claiming that items were sold, donated, or “discarded without notice.”
Antonia and Johanna are seeking restitution in the form of an undisclosed amount, as well as for their brother to be removed as a trustee of Tony Bennett's family estate.
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