Chadwick Boseman’s family is seeking to have his widow, Taylor Simone Ledward, removed as the administrator of his estate through a petition filed in a Los Angeles court.
Boseman, renowned for his roles in movies like “Black Panther,” “42,” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” passed away on August 28, 2020, following a private battle with colon cancer lasting four years. He was 43 years old.
In a statement released to CBC News, Boseman’s brothers, Derrick and Kevin Boseman, expressed their concern over the lack of transparency regarding their brother’s estate, including intellectual property and legacy matters.
Legal documents acquired by CBC News reveal that Boseman’s brothers lodged a petition on behalf of their parents, Leroy and Carolyn Boseman, in Los Angeles on July 17. They allege that despite a court order issued in 2022 for the distribution of the late actor’s estate, Ledward has failed to appropriately distribute assets and has retained exclusive control over certain business interests linked to the estate.
The filing states that Boseman died intestate, and a judge issued a final order on October 4, 2022, to divide his estate equally between Ledward and Boseman’s parents, along with establishing a long-term care insurance policy for the late actor’s mother.
However, Boseman’s brothers claim in their petition that Ledward has not fully transferred the estate assets or completed the requisite court paperwork almost four years after the 2022 order. They further assert that Ledward continues to make unilateral decisions regarding estate matters without consulting the Boseman family.
The petition alleges that Ledward failed to account for various assets and funds, including SAG-AFTRA residual payments, royalties, intellectual property rights, and real estate. The brothers highlight alleged discrepancies in bank accounts amounting to nearly $3 million US and emphasize the financial strain this has caused Boseman’s elderly parents.
In their petition, the brothers criticize Ledward for assuming control of Chadwick Boseman, Inc., without involving the family, and for establishing The Chadwick Boseman Foundation for the Arts in 2021 without their input, appointing leadership roles that excluded them.
They are requesting the court to hold Ledward accountable for delays in the estate order, expedite the distribution of remaining assets, replace Ledward as the estate administrator with forensic accountant Jason Rubin to investigate potential mismanagement, and demand a comprehensive report from Ledward within 30 days. Additionally, they seek an injunction to prevent Ledward from engaging in new contracts related to Boseman’s image and intellectual property without the brothers’ consent.
The petition also calls for a shareholder meeting of Chadwick Boseman, Inc. within 30 days. A court hearing is scheduled in Los Angeles for September 29.
The brothers expressed their desire for a transparent process that upholds the court’s directives and safeguards Chadwick’s legacy in a statement to CBC News, while Ledward has yet to publicly respond to the allegations. Requests for comments from Ledward’s legal representatives remain unanswered at this time.