The legal battle over the estate of late singing legend Tony Bennett continues to unfold, with a new lawsuit filed by his daughters against their brother. Antonia and Johanna Bennett have accused their brother, D’Andrea “Danny” Bennett, of enriching himself at their expense, both before and after their father’s passing in 2023. Danny Bennett, who served as his father’s manager and heads the family trust, is alleged to have exploited Tony Bennett’s diminished capacity in his later years, due to Alzheimer’s disease.
The lawsuit, filed in New York, alleges that Danny Bennett made lucrative deals for himself and his company, including the sale of Tony Bennett’s music catalog and image rights to Iconoclast shortly before his death. This action, according to the sisters, violated their father’s wishes and significantly diminished the inheritance they were entitled to. The sisters claim that the $245,000 each received is a mere fraction of their rightful share.
This isn’t the first legal action taken by Antonia and Johanna. They previously sued their brother in June 2024, seeking an accounting of their father’s assets. However, this new lawsuit presents more detailed and serious allegations of misconduct. Danny Bennett’s attorneys previously dismissed the initial claims as baseless, arguing that Tony Bennett had complete trust in his son and that Danny Bennett had been instrumental in reviving his father’s career and resolving financial difficulties.
The current lawsuit accuses Danny Bennett of engaging in self-serving transactions, receiving excessive commissions, and making substantial loans and gifts to himself and his children. These actions, the sisters argue, directly contradict the terms of Tony Bennett’s will, which stipulated an equal division of assets among his four children. Daegal “Dae” Bennett and Susan Bennett, Tony’s widow, are also named as defendants in the lawsuit. Adding to the accusations, the sisters claim their brother has disposed of items of significant sentimental value in a retaliatory manner, following their attempts to obtain a full accounting of their father’s estate.
The sisters’ claim extends to the condition of Tony Bennett’s piano, an item Antonia states was promised to her. They allege the instrument was found in poor condition during a limited tour of the singer’s apartment, where they were denied access to much of his property. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, and crucially, requests the removal of Danny Bennett as the head of the family trust. The outcome of this latest legal battle will determine the future distribution of Tony Bennett’s substantial estate, leaving the family’s legacy further entangled in conflict.
Tony Bennett, a celebrated singer known for his interpretations of American standards, passed away in 2023 at the age of 96. He left behind a rich musical legacy, marked by 19 Grammy Awards and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a legacy now overshadowed by the ongoing family dispute.
