The familial harmony of late singer Tony Bennett's heirs has been disrupted by a lawsuit filed by his daughters.
Antonia and Johanna Bennett have launched legal action against their brother Danny Bennett, accusing him of mishandling their father's estate and trust funds, People reported.
In June, months before their iconic father passed away at age 96, Antonia and Johanna Bennett filed a lawsuit against their brother Danny. They claimed that Danny, as the sole trustee of The Tony Bennett 1994 Family Trust, failed to manage the estate transparently and misappropriated funds.
Danny Bennett, who had taken over the role of managing Tony Bennett's career and financial affairs long before the singer's passing in July 2023, now faces allegations of serious financial misconduct. According to the lawsuit, Danny was serving in multiple conflicting fiduciary roles even before their father's health began to diminish.
Before his death, Tony Bennett experienced a decline in mental capacity, during which Danny was purportedly unsupervised in his role as trustee. This situation led to questionable decisions about the estate's finances, as per the daughters' claims.
Antonia and Johanna accuse Danny of making unauthorized financial decisions that prioritize himself and his children over the trust's other beneficiaries. The sisters specifically allege that their brother siphoned significant funds from the trust, including using the money to give lavish gifts to himself and his children.
Danny reportedly escalated matters by orchestrating the sale of Tony Bennett's assets in 2022, citing financial distress, despite the trust retaining substantial funds. The daughters highlight this sale as a key example of the mismanagement they are challenging.
Additionally, they accuse RPM Productions, a company linked to Danny, of charging excessively high commissions from Tony Bennett's income. This accusation raises further doubts about the fairness and legality of Danny's actions as trustee.
Danny Bennett responded to the allegations by seeking to either dismiss the suit or transfer it to the surrogate’s court in November, a move the daughters opposed in their January 3 filing. They emphasized their concerns about Danny's management practices and lack of transparency.
Antonia and Johanna also named Dae Bennett, another of Tony Bennett's sons and a trust beneficiary, as well as Tony’s widow, Susan Benedetto, in the lawsuit. They accused both of failing to hold Danny accountable for his actions.
Danny, speaking through representatives, denied any wrongdoing. A source close to him highlighted Tony Bennett’s successful 40-year partnership with his son and claimed that Danny consistently acted in his father's best interests, following the estate plans Tony had established.
The ongoing legal battle raises questions about the management and distribution of Tony Bennett's wealth and casts a shadow over the legendary singer's legacy. In their filing, Tony Bennett’s daughters stated that he clearly intended for all four of his children to receive equal treatment in his estate plans.
The dispute underscores the complexities and unexpected consequences of estate management when parties fail to agree or transparency is absent. Antonia and Johanna Bennett actively pursue a comprehensive review of their father’s financial records to uncover the full extent of the alleged mismanagement.
As the case advances, observers will watch to see how Tony Bennett’s wishes are ultimately interpreted and executed, and whether the family resolves the grievances raised by his daughters in a way that honors his legacy.
