The struggle for control over the estate of late singer James Brown has settled after almost 15 years.
Brown died in 2006 of heart failure at the age of 73. His children, former lovers, and estate administrators have been engaged in a tug of war over assets and royalties ever since. However, last Friday, a settlement was reached after two months of “lengthy mediation discussions.” The agreement will fulfill Brown’s lifelong wish of donating millions of funds to educational scholarships in Georgia and South Carolina.
Outside of the academic efforts that were so near to Brown’s heart that he made them a focal point in his will, little is known about the settlement. Marc Toberoff, the attorney representing Brown’s nine children, gave little details surrounding its terms but confirmed that it had taken place.
“All I can confirm is that there was a federal action which had been settled, and the action from children named in the will and Tommie Rae with the estate have also been settled,” he stated on Thursday to The Augusta Chronicle. Rae is the fourth and final wife of the late singer.
Brown’s estate has been estimated to be worth anywhere from $5 million to more than $100 million throughout the years. Dozens of lawsuits have surfaced in the past, looking to get a piece of the pie.
