Tony Bennett’s daughters have broken their silence after suing their brothers and the late singer’s widow amid a bitter inheritance battle over their father’s estate and revealed what they think their father would have wanted.
The legendary crooner died last July at the age of 96, and Bennett’s daughters, Johanna Bennett, 53, and Antonia Bennett, 50, have now filed a lawsuit regarding his estate.
They named their brothers D’Andrea ‘Danny’ Bennett, 70, and Daegal ‘Dae’ Bennett, 68, and the singer’s widow Susan Benedetto, 56, in the legal filing and demanded they list and turn over all assets held by the singer.
Speaking to DailyMail.com on Friday, Bennett’s daughters revealed how their brother Danny’s lack of transparency as trustee of the estate was ‘distressing’ and as beneficiaries they had ‘numerous unanswered questions.’
‘Our primary objective is to uncover the truth about the management of the estate, the deals that were made, and the distribution of the proceeds to the Family Trust,’ they said.
They added: ‘Our father would have wanted his children to remain united and honor his specific wishes regarding the estate without legal issues’.
Tony Bennett smiling and giving a thumbs up with his daughters, Johanna, 53, (left) and Antonia, 50, by his side in New York City in 2016
Danny Bennett (pictured left) and Dae Bennett pictured with their dad at the Grammy Awards at Madison Square Garden January 2018. The trio won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for ‘Tony Bennett Celebrates 90’
The late singer’s widow, Susan Bennett, also known as Susan Crow Benedetto, 56, was also named in the filing. The pair married in 2007. Susan was the singer’s third wife. They are pictured in 2019 in NYC
Bennett’s sons, Danny and Daegal, are from his first marriage to his then-wife, Patricia Beech. The pair were married from 1950 until 1970.
His daughters, Johanna and Antonia, are from his marriage to his second wife Sandra Grant. The couple married in 1971, and divorced in 1984.
He later married Susan Benedetto in 2007, whom he remained with until his death.
When Bennett died on July 20, 2023, his eldest son, Danny, became the sole trustee of the The Tony Bennett 1994 Family Trust.
Johanna and Antonio they told DailyMail.com that their ‘father detailed his wishes in the Family Trust that his children share equally in his estate as named beneficiaries.
‘According to our father’s estate plan, we are 50 percent Family Trust beneficiaries, which includes personal belongings, residual assets, income streams, copyrights and royalties,’ the daughters told DailyMail.com.
This week, they filed the lawsuit that alleged their brother Danny mishandled their father’s assets and failed to disclose some of them in his role as trustee of the late singer’s estate.
The daughter’s asserted that they have made every conceivable effort since to obtain vital information about their father’s estate, as beneficiaries of the estate.
In the suit, they called their requests ‘reasonable’ and stated that their brother and his counsel have persistently failed and refused to provide information regarding the property and assets they have a right to.
Johanna added: ‘I no longer have a relationship with Danny and Susan.’
Danny Bennett, was his father’s manager for 40 years. The father and son duo attend the The Paley Center For Media presentation of Tony Bennett Celebrates 90: The Best Is Yet To Come at The Paley Center for Media on December 14, 2016, in New York City
The lawsuit stated that The Family Trust was created by a trust agreement dated December 21, 1994, with Tony, as the grantor, and Tony, Danny and Daegal, as yrustees.
Since then, and prior to October 19, 2016, Tony amended – and in some instances amended and restated – the Family Trust numerous times.
Bennett funded the Family Trust prior to his death.
Johanna and Antonia expressed some of their concerns that were detailed in the suit about the little information they had regarding their father’s gross estate, status of the proceeds of the Iconoclast sale, and accounting of their father’s assets at the time of his death.
The suit explained that during the height of Bennett’s singing career, which continued until 2021, the legendary singer earned an average of between $100,000 to $125,000 per concert, and substantially more for each performance during the concert series with lady Gaga.
The daughters allege that they believe their father’s earning from live performances alone during the final 15 years of his active career exceeded $100,000,000, but was told their father’s gross estate’s value was at less than $7,000,000.
Additionally, the suit points out alleged loans from their father to Danny in 2020 for $1,200,000. No information has been provided concerning the circumstances of these loans or who authorized them.
That year, Danny was acting as Bennett’s attorney-in-fact after Bennett had been diagnosed years earlier with Alzheimer’s dementia. He also had worked as his manager for more than four decades under his company, RPM Music Productions, Inc. (‘RPM Productions’).
During a meeting with Danny and his counsel in mid-March, Danny claimed that the Inconoclast deal, from which he took a commission of more than $2.5 million, was conducted to generate funds for Tony’s use and benefit.
In response, the daughters said in their suit, ‘The lack of transparency prompted our request for documentation from the onset of our father’s illness up to and after our father’s death.’
Bennett peforming with Lady Gag at Radio City Music Hall in August 2021. The concert was ‘One Last Time: An Evening with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga’
Initially, both of Bennett’s sons were named as trustees of the Family Trust before Danny became the sole Trustee upon their father’s death last year.
The suit alleged that Danny holds additional fiduciary and management positions that have a direct bearing on his father’s assets and has engaged in various transactions in which he has competing personal, business and fiduciary obligations and interests.
The singer’s daughters also say they made numerous requests to obtain basic information concerning their father’s estate claiming that Danny ‘obtained personal benefits for himself and his company.’
They further stated in the suit that transactions were made on behalf of Tony, Benedetto Arts, LLC, and the family trust, including the sale and consignment of their late father’s memorabilia and personal property.
Johanna and Antonia told the court that their brother did not fully account for the totals in selling a portion of the rights of their father’s catalog, name, image and likeness to the company Iconoclast this past March.
‘We’re concerned that we were not consulted about the Trustee’s decision to sell our father’s income stream, name and likeness,’ the suit said.
‘Unfortunately, the lack of transparency prevented us from knowing the deal’s details and the validity of the sale.’
Johanna and Antonia, alleged that Danny and his lawyers ‘have persistently failed and refused’ to show the full details of the aforementioned transactions.
‘The information provided raises more questions than answers and fails to provide anything close to an accounting of Tony’s assets and financial affairs,’ their lawyers said.
Tony Bennett and with his first wife, Patricia Beech, leaving St. Patrick’s Cathedral on their wedding day February 12, 1952. A fan is seen peering through the window of their car. The couple went on to have two sons, Danny and Dae, together
Bennett pictured with his second wife, Sandra Grant, who he wed in December 1971. The couple had two daughters, Johanna and Antonia. They pair divorced in 1984
Additionally, Bennett’s daughters are requesting the court orders all holdings be ‘inventoried, accounted for, and distributed pursuant to the express terms of the family trust,’ according to the legal documents.
They are asking for Danny to account for all totals with documentation in regard to taxes, disbursements and related expenses, according to court docs.
Iconoclast on March 19 announced it had acquired significant portions of Bennett’s catalog, name and likeness, though Sony Music said it remains the owner of the singer’s catalog, according to Billboard.
Other aspects of the deal included Bennett-branded endeavors such as a restaurant in New York City, a watch brand and a documentary on Paramount+ about Bennett’s work with Lady Gaga.
The company’s founder Olivier Chastan said in a statement at the time: ‘We all walk in the footsteps of giants. Tony was one of these giants.
‘Besides his extraordinary talent that radiated for over 60 years, Tony’s legacy is one of character, integrity, kindness and courage. We are truly honored to be the custodians of this incredible and historical legend.’
Danny Bennett said at the time: ‘In working with Tony for over 40 years, my philosophy was always that I didn’t manage a career but, rather, managed a legacy. Iconoclast … will continue this tradition.’
The Family Trust was amended for the last time on October 19, 2016.
DailyMail.com has contacted Danny and Daegal for comment. Susan Benedetto declined to comment.