Chadwick Boseman’s brother filed a petition last week seeking control of the late actor’s estate, accusing his brother’s widow of mismanagement and failure to distribute his assets.
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Court filings by Derrick and Kevin Bozeman allege that the brothers’ widow, Taylor Simone Ledward, inherited half of the estate, while their parents were given equal shares in the other half. However, it was Ledward who was appointed administrator of the estate.
The late actor’s parents, Leroy and Carolyn Bozeman, assigned the brothers to handle their real estate interests and authorized them to file a petition against Ledward.
They accuse Ledward of never distributing the property to his parents and “retaining complete control” without their input.
At the time of the “Black Panther” actor’s death, Ledward’s estate was reported to be worth more than $3.8 million, according to the filing. This did not take into account royalties, residual payments, image rights, intellectual property rights or other assets, according to the Boseman brothers’ filing.
They also claim to have learned of the existence of another bank account that Mr. Ledward did not list in his account, and “we cannot determine the current status or whether it was distributed,” the filing states.
Concerns were also raised that Redward had entered into contracts with third parties regarding the actor’s image and intellectual property without consulting his parents. The filing said Ledward’s unilateral decision-making not only caused emotional distress to the Bozeman family, but also “exceeded his authority as administrator.”
“Imagine flipping the channel and coming across a movie starring your deceased son or brother, only to find out that someone you don’t know or trust is profiting from that image without your input or consent,” the filing says.
The family also negotiated a contract for a documentary about Chadwick Boseman and his widow, but Ledward “entered into a separate contract” that he did not provide to the family, according to the filing. That means it is unclear whether the agreement is “unfair, adverse to, or in conflict with the interests of the estate,” the filing says.
“Due to the nature of the decedent’s private battle with cancer, his seemingly sudden death at the height of his fame shocked much of the outside world,” the filing states. “As a result, the planned documentary is likely to generate significant interest from DeDedent’s millions of fans and generate significant revenue.”
The Bozeman brothers are asking the court to appoint a private expert and a forensic accountant to replace Ledward to investigate the management of the estate.
A representative for Mr. Ledward did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment.
Chadwick Boseman passed away at the age of 43 after a private battle with colon cancer. His choice not to reveal his health struggles meant his death in 2020 blindsided his fans and even some close colleagues.
This actor is probably best known for his role as Black Panther in the Marvel movie universe. The solo superhero film directed by Ryan Coogler was a huge hit, grossing $1 billion the month after its release in February 2018.
But Boseman was a dramatic heavyweight outside the world of action and adventure.
The Howard University graduate played black icons Jackie Robinson, Thurgood Marshall and James Brown on the big screen. He was posthumously nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his role in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, also starring Viola Davis.
