Californians who are fans of early pop star Bobby Vee might be interested in learning that the late singer’s children are fighting over his estate. Vee famously stepped in to cover for Buddy Holly who was killed in a plane crash and became a star himself as a result. He died from Alzheimer’s disease on Oct. 24, 2016.
Two of Vee’s children are fighting their two brothers over a theatrical production and a trust. The pair alleges that their siblings put on the play without their consent and against their mother’s wishes. They also claim that the brothers diverted the funds from the play for their benefit and that of a recording studio that they ran with their father.
The plaintiffs claim that their brothers moved forward with the play despite not having their consent or their mother’s. Their mother wrote a note in which she stated that she was against the play and that she wanted one of her defendant sons to be removed as Vee’s lawyer. She died two weeks later. A trust was established by the mother for the benefit of all four children, and the two plaintiffs claim that their brothers diverted funds from the trust and gold records to themselves and to the recording studio. They are asking for a full accounting and for their brothers to be removed as co-trustees because of their alleged breach of the trust.
People who are planning how to distribute their assets after they die may want to address who will be responsible for their estate administration. They might designate trusted family members or third parties to serve as administrators. If an issue arises, the intended beneficiaries may request the removal of estate administrators by filing motions with the probate court.
Source: Inforum, “Bobby Vee’s children argue over his estate in court,” Kim Hyatt, Feb. 5, 2017