Tony Bennett's Daughters Antonia and Johanna File Lawsuit Against Brother Danny over Father's Estate
The pair are seeking "equitable relief" and want to evaluate their father's assets themselves in a filing made on Wednesday, June 12
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Tony Bennett attends the 55th New York Film Festival - "Spielberg" at Alice Tully Hall on October 5, 2017Tony Bennett's daughters Antonia Bennett and Johanna Bennett have filed a lawsuit against their brother Danny over unaccounted for assets in their father's estate
Their brother, Daegal "Dae" Bennett, and Tony's widow, Susan Benedetto, are named as respondents in the filing
The sisters are requesting that all property and assets are turned over and reassessed
Tony Bennett's children are battling over his estate.
On Wednesday, June 12, Antonia Bennett and Johanna Bennett filed a lawsuit against their brother D'Andrea "Danny" Bennett for an undisclosed amount over their late father's trust and assets.
Antonia and Johanna named their other brother, Daegal "Dae" Bennett, and Tony's widow, Susan Benedetto, as additional respondents in the filing.
Related: Tony Bennett's 4 Children: All About Danny, Dae, Johanna and Antonia
In the filing, Antonia and Johanna are seeking "equitable relief" as they allege proceeds from the sale of some of Tony's assets to Iconoclast were not accounted for by Danny, who was Tony's manager and is the trustee of the Family Trust.
The sisters claim that as Tony's manager, Danny "obtained personal benefits for himself and his company" as the result of transactions made on behalf of Tony, Benedetto Arts, LLC, and the Family Trust, including the sale and consignment of his late father's memorabilia and personal property.
Antonia and Johanna also allege that their brother and his legal team "have persistently failed and refused" to provide full context when it comes to Tony's property and assets in which they have rights and interests 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 filing reads.
As a result, the sisters have "well-founded concerns" about Tony's finances and assets involving FamilyTrust assets and Benedetto Arts, LLC prior to and following his death.
Antonia and Johanna are requesting that all property and assets are "inventoried, accounted for, and distributed pursuant to the express terms of the Family Trust." Danny will need to turn over all principal, interest, receipts, disbursements, expenditures and tax returns.
Reps for Danny, the sisters and the sisters' attorney did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
Tony died in July 2023 at the age of 96.
"Tony Bennett, born Anthony Dominick Benedetto in Astoria, Queens on August 3, 1926, has passed away in his hometown of New York City at the age of 96 earlier today," his rep told PEOPLE in a statement at the time. "The beloved singer, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016, is survived by his wife, Susan Benedetto, his two sons, Danny and Dae Bennett, his daughters Johanna Bennett and Antonia Bennett and 9 grandchildren."
In January 2021, the jazz legend's family confirmed that he had been quietly living with Alzheimer's disease since 2016 in a profile with AARP The Magazine. At the time his condition was revealed, Bennett was still capable of recognizing his friends and family.
Susan, who became his primary caregiver, told the magazine that he was "not always sure where he is or what is happening around him."
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His neurologist, Gayatri Devi, said that music had been helpful to the music legend at the time.
"It kept him on his toes and also stimulated his brain in a significant way," they explained, later adding, "He is doing so many things, at 94, that many people without dementia cannot do. He really is the symbol of hope for someone with a cognitive disorder."
Throughout his career, the Grammy-winning artist worked with several pop stars including Lady Gaga, the late Amy Winehouse, Diana Krall, Michael Bublé, Carrie Underwood and more.
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