Tony Bennett’s legacy lives on through his music—but behind the scenes, a bitter family dispute is threatening to overshadow his final wishes.
The late Tony Bennett’s family is facing a legal battle nearly two years after his death. On March 31, daughters Antonia and Johanna Bennett filed a lawsuit against their brother, Danny Bennett, accusing him of misconduct involving their father’s finances.
In the court documents obtained by People, the sisters allege that Danny exercised “unchecked control” over the legendary singer’s assets both before and after his passing in July 2023 at age 96. They claim he “has abused, and continues to abuse” that power for his own financial benefit.
According to the filing, Antonia, 50, and Johanna, 40, are seeking to “protect their father’s wishes.” The suit states that Tony intended for all four of his children to be treated equally in his estate plan.
However, the sisters argue that Danny has acted as if he were the sole heir. They accuse him of withholding funds and sentimental items that were specifically left to them.
The lawsuit also alleges that Danny “refused for months to even give” the sisters access to their father’s apartment. As a result, they claim, property meant for them has disappeared—items they describe as irreplaceable. The filing describes the emotional and material toll this has taken, calling the loss “irreparable.”
Tony known for his warm relationship with his children, left behind a legacy not only in music, but in the bonds he shared with his family. Now, that legacy is at the center of a dispute with growing legal implications.
The dispute began a year after the music icon’s death when it was revealed that his children were said to be at each other’s throats over his money. Speaking to the DailyMail, Tony’s daughters reportedly revealed why they filed a lawsuit against their brother.
The shocking accusations the sisters have made against their sibling have since led to a family fallout. In June 2024, a legal storm erupted within the Bennett family. Antonia and Joanna reportedly filed a lawsuit against their half-brother, D’Andrea. The lawsuit concerned their late father’s trust and assets.
The sisters sought an undisclosed amount in damages. They also alleged that there were discrepancies in the management of their father’s estate. Antonia and Joanna also named Daegel and Tony’s widow as extra respondents in the lawsuit.
The filing reportedly revealed the sisters’ pursuit of equitable relief. They claimed that D’Andrea did not properly account for the money from Tony’s sale to Iconoclast. In addition to being Tony’s manager, D’Andrea also served as the trustee of the Family Trust.
The sisters’ main allegation was that D’Andrea “obtained personal benefits for himself and his company. They believed he did this through various transactions.
These transactions included selling and consigning their late father’s memorabilia and property. Antonia and Joanna further claimed that D’Andrea leveraged his position as their father’s manager.
The sisters argued that their stepbrother and his legal team failed to give a full account of their late father’s property and assets. This was despite them having vested 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 asserted.
This lack of transparency fueled Antonia and Joanna’s well-founded concerns. These concerns were about the handling of Tony’s finances and assets before and after his death.
Antonia and Joanna reportedly demanded that all property and assets be inventoried, accounted for, and distributed. They wanted this to be done according to the terms of the Family Trust.
They insisted that D’Andrea provided a full disclosure of all principal, interest, receipts, disbursements, expenditures, and tax returns associated with the estate.
The also sisters believed that the reported value of Tony’s estate was significantly understated. Antonia and Joanna pointed out that their father’s concerts made over $100 million. This was during his last 15 years.
However, they were told that his estate was allegedly worth around $7 million. This raised suspicions and doubts about the current valuation of the estate. “Tony would be turning over in his grave to see his children at each other’s throats over his money,” a source close to the family revealed.
That same year, Tony’s daughters broke their silence about the inheritance battle. They expressed their distress during an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail. The sisters opened up about their brother’s lack of transparency as the trustee of their father’s estate.
Antonia and Joanna voiced their frustration and said they had numerous unanswered questions. As beneficiaries, they wanted to know what was happening with their father’s estate.
“Our primary objective is to uncover the truth about the estate management, the deals that were made, and the distribution of the proceeds to the Family Trust,” they emphasized.
The sisters believed their father would have wanted his children to remain united. They added that Tony would have wanted his specific wishes for the estate honored. This should have been done without resorting to legal disputes.
The daughters revealed that their father’s estate plan had a clear outline. It reportedly stated that all his children were to share his estate as named beneficiaries equally.
This included personal belongings, residual assets, income streams, copyrights, and royalties. In their lawsuit, Antonia and Joanna alleged that D’Andrea had mishandled their father’s assets.
“We have made every conceivable effort since to obtain vital information about our father’s estate, as beneficiaries of the estate,” they stated. The daughters described their requests for information as reasonable. They further criticized D’Andrea and his legal counsel.
“I no longer have a relationship with Danny and Susan,” Joanna admitted. This highlighted the emotional strain the legal battle imposed on familial relationships.
The Bennett sisters’ public statements showed the complex and emotional nature of the dispute. As the legal proceedings continued, hope for a resolution that honored Tony Bennett’s wishes was paramount.
