Tony Bennett‘s children are poised for a bitter clash over their father’s estate. Antonia Bennett and Johanna Bennett filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against their brother D’Andrea “Danny” Bennett, accusing him of failing to account for the assets and transactions of the “Family Trust.”
In the suit, the sisters claim that Danny, who was Tony’s manager and is the trustee of the Family Trust, “obtained personal benefits for himself and his company” as the result of transactions executed on behalf of Tony, Benedetto Arts, LLC, and the Family Trust. The suit alleges that Danny’s company, RPM Music Productions, Inc., “received a substantial commission” on the sale or consignment of their father’s memorabilia, personal property, and likeness.
Upon Tony’s death (the artist died in 2023), the Family Trust details that all “tangible personal property is to be distributed in equal shares” to his four children, per the filing. Their other brother, Daegal “Dae” Bennett, and the icon’s widow, Susan Benedetto, are also named as respondents in the suit.
Antonia and Johanna state that their father’s earnings from live performances alone during the final 15 years of his career “exceeded $100,000,000,” but said that they were told Tony’s gross estate was valued at less than $7,000,000.
The filing further claims that Danny and his legal team have “failed and refused to provide information sufficient” for the sisters to fully understand the property and assets in which they have rights as beneficiaries.
“Although Danny and his counsel have provided piecemeal information and produced some documents to Petitioners’ counsel, the information provided raises more questions than answers and fails to provide anything close to an accounting of Tony’s assets and financial affairs,” the suit states. The sisters are seeking a full accounting of “all property and assets of Tony’s estate, the Family Trust and Benedetto Arts, LLC.”
Reps for Antonia and Johanna, and a rep for Danny Bennett, did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone‘s requests for comment.
Tony Bennett died on July 21, 2023 at the age of 96. The beloved standards crooner won 18 Grammys over his legendary eight-decade career. During a joint interview following his death, the singer’s widow, Susan, and Danny remembered the artist as a “man of the people.”