Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman's family sues his widow 6 years after his death

Boseman's brothers ask court to remove Taylor Simone Ledward as administrator of his estate

Chadwick Boseman's family is petitioning a Los Angeles court to remove his widow, Taylor Simone Ledward, as administrator of his estate.

In a statement released July 23 to People magazine, Boseman's brothers Derrick and Kevin Boseman said, "for years, our parents have sought clarity regarding matters connected to the estate of our brother ... including his intellectual property and legacy."

Chadwick Boseman, known for his portrayal of King T'Challa in Black Panther and acclaimed roles in 42 and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, died on Aug. 28, 2020, after a private four-year battle with colon cancer. He was 43.

In legal documents obtained by CBC News, Boseman's brothers filed a petition in Los Angeles on July 17 on behalf of their parents, Leroy and Carolyn Boseman.

They claim that although the court ordered the distribution of the late actor's estate in 2022, his widow has failed to properly distribute assets and has kept sole control over some business interests connected to the estate.

According to the filing, Boseman died without a will. In the probate proceedings, a judge issued a final order on Oct. 4, 2022, to split his estate — half to Ledward and half to Boseman's parents. The order also included setting up a long-term care insurance policy for the late actor's mother.

But in their petition, his brothers say the process has been dragging on. They claim that almost four years after the 2022 order, Ledward still hasn't fully handed over the estate assets or finished the court paperwork that was required. They also claim Ledward has continued to "exert unilateral control" over estate matters without consulting Boseman's family.

Allegations of unaccounted money

The petition says Ledward didn’t properly distribute or account for money and assets, including SAG-AFTRA residual payments, royalties, image and intellectual property rights, and real estate.

The brothers also point to alleged missing bank accounts totalling nearly $3 million US. They argue the financial delays have caused "ongoing harm" to Boseman's parents, who are "at a vulnerable age when such support is critical," as well as preventing the family from getting closure.

The petition alleges Ledward took unilateral control of Chadwick Boseman, Inc. and didn’t consult the family. It claims she became sole officer/director, skipped required annual shareholder meetings and continued making business decisions tied to Boseman’s image and intellectual property without the family’s input.

The brothers also say Ledward created The Chadwick Boseman Foundation for the Arts in 2021 without involving his parents, and accuse her and associates of setting up leadership roles that excluded the family.

What the brothers are asking the court to order

They ask the court to require Ledward to explain why she should not be held in contempt for delays in the 2022 estate order and to order the immediate distribution of remaining estate assets. They also want her removed as estate administrator and replaced with forensic accountant Jason Rubin to investigate possible mismanagement.

The petition also asks for a complete accounting from Ledward within 30 days. It further seeks an injunction preventing Ledward from entering further contracts involving Chadwick Boseman’s image, likeness and intellectual property without the brothers’ written consent, and requests disclosure of prior agreements.

The petition additionally requests an order for a shareholder meeting of Chadwick Boseman, Inc. within 30 days. A hearing is scheduled in Los Angeles for Sept. 29.

In their statement to People, the brothers said their "hope is that this process brings clarity, honors the Court’s orders and ensures the responsible stewardship of Chadwick’s legacy."

Ledward has not publicly responded to these allegations.

CBC News has reached out to attorneys representing Ledward and the Boseman brothers for comment, but had not heard back at the time of this publication.