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Tony Bennett’s daughters are suing their older brother in state court, alleging he wrecked a piano bequeathed to one of them, wrongfully discarded a slew of their late father’s personal belongings — including his clothing — without notifying the family, and claim he “has abused, and continues to abuse” his responsibilities in overseeing the legendary jazz singer’s estate.
In a lawsuit filed Monday night and reviewed by The Independent, Johanna and Antonia Bennett accuse Danny Bennett of operating “as though he is the sole beneficiary of Tony’s assets and accountable to no one,” calling him out specifically for withholding not just money, but everyday items they say have “deep sentimental value,” as well.
“Tony maintained a loving and devoted relationship with all of his children and his estate plan expressly provides that all four children be treated equally,” according to the suit.
However, it contends, Danny, 71, “refused for months to even give Johanna and Antonia access” to their dad’s apartment so they could claim what was rightfully theirs. At the same time, Danny allowed a reporter and photographer from The New York Times Magazine to visit and photograph Tony’s property for a story about “what various deceased celebrities left behind after they died,” the suit states.
“The centerpiece of the photos published by The New York Times Magazine was Tony’s piano, which Tony specifically bequeathed to his daughter Antonia, but which she was prohibited from seeing and would not actually receive until months later,” the suit goes on.
When Antonia, 50, finally received permission in 2024 to enter Bennett’s apartment, his piano “was in terrible condition and was being held in a manner that caused further damage to the instrument,” the suit continues. And, it says, when she finally took possession of the piano, Antonia’s lawyer “had to negotiate with Danny and his counsel in order to have them… reimburse Antonia for the costs she incurred in having [it] delivered to her residence.”
Later, Danny “repeatedly pressured Antonia to sell the piano” as part of an auction he had arranged, “because it would hopefully cause other items to sell for a higher price,” according to the suit.
Also missing, it alleges, was Bennett’s wardrobe.
“Danny’s counsel simply reported that most of Tony’s clothing was donated to charity without notice to Johanna and Antonia,” the suit says, adding that other pieces were sold off, given away, or “discarded without notice.”
The harm this caused the two “is irreparable — their father’s property that was specifically bequeathed to them is gone and is irreplaceable,” according to the suit, which lays the blame entirely on Danny.
“It… became patently clear to Johanna and Antonia that Danny’s interest in Tony’s tangibles was purely financial,” the lawsuit states.
Tony Bennett died in July 2023, at the age of 96. Attorneys for Johanna, Antonia, and Danny Bennett did not immediately respond on Tuesday to requests for comment.
Most recently, Johanna, 55, and Antonia were extremely upset to learn that Danny secretly made a deal for their father’s music to be used in an upcoming Marvel film, Kraven the Hunter, which the lawsuit says is a violation of the family trust.
Among other things, Johanna and Antonia accuse Danny of paying himself “excessive and unearned commissions,” making “substantial loans and gifts to himself and his children,” and “freely using and controlling Tony’s assets and trust assets often as if they were Danny’s own.” Their suit points to Danny’s 2024 sale of Bennett’s name, image, likeness, and royalty rights to a financial management firm, claiming their brother earned “millions” from the deal.
Bennett, a 20-time Grammy winner, sold more than 50 million records during his storied career, which lasted well into his 90s. He managed to amass “substantial wealth,” according to the lawsuit, but says “the specific value of his assets remain unknown to Johanna and Antonia due to Danny’s failure and refusal to discuss or disclose such information to them.”
“Since Tony’s death, Johanna and Antonia have discovered that Danny exercised complete and unchecked control over Tony and his financial affairs prior to and following his death through multiple fiduciary and other roles of authority that Danny has abused, and continues to abuse, for his own significant financial gain,” the suit states.
The two hauled Danny into court last summer, attempting to force him to allow them access to the family trust’s financial records. At the time, Danny filed a response to their allegations, claiming his sisters “clearly want a fight, but there is nothing to fight about.”
“Our father trusted me during his life — he trusted me to manage his career, to manage his money, and to serve as his trustee; and our father trusted me to continue to handle his affairs, his money and his business after he died,” Danny said in the filing. “My sisters have gained little traction in the court of public opinion, where they continue to hurl the same, tired, accusations they throw at the court in this proceeding, yet they pursue their goal of painting me dirty.”
He argued that Johanna and Antonia made their claims without evidence, and that he was not guilty of any wrongdoing.
Johanna and Antonia “have exhausted all other reasonable options to protect their father’s wishes,” according to their suit, which deems Danny’s behavior “self-interested and conflicted.” They are now asking the court to make them whole, and to remove Danny as the trustee of Bennett’s estate.
Danny has roughly three weeks to respond to his sisters’ allegations.
