Taylor Simone Ledward faces Boseman estate lawsuit
Taylor Simone Ledward, widow of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, faces a Los Angeles court petition from his brothers seeking her removal as estate administrator. They allege she has not distributed the $3.8 million estate as ordered and kept the late actor’s parents in the dark about assets and rights deals.
Key Takeaways
- Brothers Derrick and Kevin Boseman petitioned a Los Angeles court on behalf of parents Leroy and Carolyn Boseman.
- Boseman died in 2020 without a will; court records put his assets at about $3.8 million.
- A court awarded 50% to Taylor Simone Ledward and 25% each to his parents; she serves as administrator.
- The filing claims funds remain undistributed and alleges unilateral control of Chadwick Boseman Inc.
- The brothers say they seek clarity, transparency, and responsible stewardship of his legacy.
What sparked the lawsuit against Taylor Simone Ledward?
According to BBC News, Derrick and Kevin Boseman filed a petition last week asking a Los Angeles court to force distribution of money to family members and remove Ledward as controller of the estate.
They claim she has mishandled distribution and “cannot be trusted with the continued administration of the estate.” The brothers filed on behalf of their parents, Leroy and Carolyn Boseman.
Boseman died at 43 in August 2020 from colon cancer, four years after his diagnosis. Court documents seen by the BBC put his assets at $3.8 million (£2.9 million). He died without a will.
How was Chadwick Boseman’s estate supposed to be split?
Under the court decision reported by the BBC and The Hollywood Reporter, 50% was to go to Taylor Simone Ledward, who was also appointed estate administrator, with 25% to each of his parents.
The Hollywood Reporter says the roughly $3.8 million estate includes cash, retirement accounts, a long-term care insurance policy, and Chadwick Boseman Inc., which holds rights tied to the actor’s name and intellectual property.
Readers following high-value family asset fights can also browse BlasterPost’s Luxury Real Estate & Dream Homes coverage for related estate and property stories.
What do the brothers allege about the assets?
The petition says Ledward “has still not distributed the estate” and “continues to exert unilateral control” over it. She is accused of creating a “lack of transparency” around assets and keeping the parents “in the dark” about deals and operations of the company managing his image and rights.
The Hollywood Reporter reports the filing, dated July 17, also seeks to hold her in contempt and bar unilateral control. It claims she failed to transfer some assets owed to the family, including a $40,000 insurance policy belonging to Carolyn under a 2022 court order, and neglected to account for residual payments from SAG-AFTRA and a previously undisclosed bank account.
Image and IP rights are managed by Chadwick Boseman Inc., with Ledward and the parents each owning 50%. The petition alleges she appointed herself CEO without board meetings and entered contracts assigning rights, including a documentary deal with Words + Pictures Productions and a contract tied to production of Deep Azure, written by Chadwick.
What have Boseman’s brothers said publicly?
In a statement to US media, the brothers said they are committed to ensuring “transparency, accountability, and respect” guide resolution of the matters. “Our hope is that this process brings clarity, honors the court’s orders, and ensures the responsible stewardship of Chadwick’s legacy,” they said.
Ledward, an R&B artist who uses the name Sahn, began dating Boseman in 2015 and married him six days before his death in August 2020, according to the BBC. The BBC asked her lawyer for comment; The Hollywood Reporter said she did not respond to a request for comment.