Tony Bennett’s daughters have accused their brother Danny of mismanagement of $2.6 million in their late father’s estate.
Antonia and Joanna Bennett first filed suit against Tony in June over assets they say went missing after Tony died at age 96 in 2023. They are both beneficiaries of the Tony Bennett 1994 Family Trust, along with their brother De, but Danny is the sole trustee. Danny filed a motion in November 2023 to have the petition transferred to Surrogate’s Court or dismissed outright.
Antonia and Joanna asked the court to dismiss the claim, claiming they had “serious concerns” about the management of his estate. According to people. Newly filed court documents allege that Danny issued checks to himself and made “multiple gifts to himself” using trust funds “as he deemed appropriate.”
Tony Bennett and daughters Joanna and Antonia during the Sony Post Grammy Party at Hammerstein Ballroom, New York, USA. (Photo by Robin Platzer/FilmMagic) Getty Images
According to People magazine, Antonia and Joanna received $200,700 on top of Danny’s $50,000 monthly advance, as well as the fees he received as his father’s business manager dating back to 2021. claims. This was despite the fact that financing arrangements would not be finalized until 2022, according to the complaint.
They also claimed that Danny arranged for his father’s assets to be sold to the iconoclast, based on the claim that the famous singer was “in financial difficulty”. However, the sisters’ court documents state that their father “still had millions of dollars” at the time the transaction took place, according to records. Danny also claimed that Tony “continues to gift assets in the family trust to himself and his children” even though he claims he is losing money.
According to legal filings, Danny’s company, RPM, received nearly $2.6 million in fees, but the trust only provided Johanna and Antonia with $245,000 each.
NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 15: Tony Bennett and his family perform at “Tony Bennett Celebrating 90 Years: The Best is Yet to Come” held at Radio City Music Hall on September 15, 2016 in New York City. Attend. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)
According to People, the filing states, “During the long period leading up to Tony’s death, Danny acted in multiple conflicting fiduciary capacities and received large sums of money from the family trust (for himself and his children). Funds received.”
“Additionally, as Danny has publicly disclosed to various media outlets, at some point prior to Tony’s death, Tony entered a stage of diminished capacity. This meant that Tony could no longer act as co-trustee and Danny “an unsupervised family trust,” the filing claimed.
A source close to Danny said: “Tony and Danny Bennett have worked together for over 40 years and their partnership’s successful record speaks for itself. Tony has carefully managed his fortune to reflect his wishes. Danny always acted in Tony’s best interests and worked diligently to ensure that his father’s plans were respected and carried out.
Antonia and Joanna are demanding supporting financial documents, citing a “lack of transparency”. (Related: Tony Bennett and son Danny’s final moments revealed)
“[Tony] “We have expressed a clear intention and direction in our estate plan that all four children will be treated equally,” they said.
