FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Jimmy Buffett ’s widow has accused her late husband’s monetary adviser of failing to manage the singer’s multimillion-dollar belief in good religion and ignoring what she believed had been her finest pursuits for the $275 million property.
Jane Buffett on Monday requested a decide in West Palm Seashore, Florida, to cease Richard Mozenter from making an attempt to take away her as a trustee and as an alternative sought an order eradicating him from overseeing the property, in response to court docket papers.
Jimmy Buffett, who popularized seaside bum gentle rock and created a “Margaritaville” empire of eating places and resorts, died Sept. 1, 2023, at 76.
His widow and Mozenter have since been embroiled in a battle over who controls the belief, with every accusing the opposite of mishandling funds in lawsuits filed in each California and Florida.
The dispute is just like one other occurring with the property of one other beloved singer, Tony Bennett. Two of the late crooner’s daughters sued their brother over his dealing with of the household belief.
Jane Buffett’s submitting on Monday accuses Mozenter of “repeatedly” breaching his fiduciary obligation by failing to supply her with fundamental details about the belief’s belongings and its investments whereas taking “unreasonable charges and prices within the context of the providers supplied.”
On Might 30, Jane Buffett’s legal professionals supplied Mozenter’s legal professionals a replica of a petition they deliberate to file in Los Angeles Superior Courtroom if he didn’t resign as cotrustee by June 2, the submitting states.
Mozenter’s counsel as an alternative filed a petition June 2 in West Palm Seashore, searching for Buffett’s elimination as cotrustee, paperwork present. Jane Buffett’s criticism was filed June 3 in Los Angeles, the place Mozenter is managing director at Gelfand, Rennert and Feldman LLC.
“Notably, Mr. Mozenter solely introduced this (and his different) retaliatory, baseless motion after Mrs. Buffett had knowledgeable him that, absent his resignation, she would provoke litigation towards him to hunt his elimination as co-trustee,” the criticism mentioned.
Mozenter claimed in his lawsuit that Jimmy Buffett established the belief with Mozenter as an unbiased trustee as a result of he was involved about his spouse’s “means to handle and management his belongings.”
The criticism filed Monday in Florida says the connection between Jane Buffett and Mozenter is “untenable,” and asks the decide to take away Mozenter as cotrustee.
“Jane won’t play into Mr. Mozenter’s arms by litigating this dispute in two separate courts throughout the nation, which might drain the very belief cash that Jimmy particularly put aside for her care,” mentioned lawyer Matt Porpora.
“As a substitute, Jane is bringing the struggle to Florida, the place she and Jimmy referred to as residence. Jane is assured she is going to prevail no matter the place her claims are heard, and her resolution to maneuver her claims from California to Florida illustrates that she is the one co-trustee seeking to preserve — not waste — belief belongings,” Porpora mentioned.
Mozenter didn’t instantly reply to an e-mail searching for remark.