Chadwick Boseman’s brothers have sued the late American actor’s widow over her handling of his multimillion-dollar estate.
Derrick Boseman and Kevin Boseman have filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles to force the Black Panther star’s widow, Taylor Simone Ledward, to distribute money to family members and remove her as executor of his estate.
They claim that she misallocated the funds and “cannot be trusted to continue managing the property.”
Boseman died at age 43 in 2020, four years after he was diagnosed with colon cancer. He is best remembered for his role as T’Challa, King of Wakanda, in Marvel’s Oscar-winning 2018 blockbuster Black Panther.
According to court documents seen by BBC News, Boseman had an estate worth $3.8 million (£2.9 million) but died without leaving a will.
The court ruled that 50% should go to Boseman’s widow, who was also appointed administrator of the estate, and 25% should go to each of his parents.
The actor’s brothers filed the lawsuit last week on behalf of their parents, Leroy and Carolyn Boseman.
The petition states that Ledward “has still not distributed the estate” and “continues to exercise unilateral control” over it.
Ledward is also accused of creating “opacity” in his assets and keeping the actor’s parents “in the dark” about the transactions and activities of the company that was created to manage his image and rights.
The brothers claim that Ledward’s “wrongful actions cause ongoing harm” to Boseman’s elderly parents and deprive them of “financial assets at a vulnerable age when such support is most important.”
“Furthermore, the unnecessary continuation of this proceeding denies the closeness of Decedent’s (Boseman) family and causes emotional distress,” the court filing states.
“Imagine flipping through the channels and coming across a movie starring your dead son or brother, knowing that someone you don’t know or trust is profiting from his image without your input or consent.”
Ledward, an R&B singer who goes by the name Sun, began dating Boseman in 2015, and they married just six days before the actor’s death in August 2020.
The BBC has asked her lawyer to comment.
In a statement to US media, the late actor’s brothers said: “On behalf of our parents, we are committed to ensuring transparency, accountability and respect in addressing these matters.
“We hope this process will provide clarity, comply with court orders, and ensure Chadwick’s legacy is managed responsibly.
“We love our brother and remain committed to carrying on his legacy with dignity, integrity and respect.”