Chadwick Boseman’s family has filed a petition in a Los Angeles court seeking the removal of his widow, Taylor Simone Ledward, as the estate administrator. Boseman, best known for his roles in “Black Panther,” “42,” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” passed away on August 28, 2020, after battling colon cancer privately for four years. He was 43.
In a statement provided to CBC News, Boseman’s brothers Derrick and Kevin Boseman expressed their parents’ long-standing quest for clarity regarding matters related to their brother’s estate, including his intellectual property and legacy. Legal documents obtained by CBC News reveal that Boseman’s brothers initiated the petition on behalf of their parents, Leroy and Carolyn Boseman, in Los Angeles on July 17.
The filing alleges that despite a court order to distribute Boseman’s estate in 2022, Ledward has allegedly failed to properly allocate assets and retained exclusive control over certain business interests linked to the estate. Boseman passed away without a will, and a judge issued a final order on October 4, 2022, to split his estate equally between Ledward and Boseman’s parents, including setting up a long-term care insurance policy for his mother.
However, the brothers claim that Ledward has not fully complied with the distribution of estate assets or completed required court paperwork even nearly four years after the court order. They assert that Ledward has maintained unilateral control over estate affairs without consulting Boseman’s family.
The petition also alleges that Ledward did not account for various funds and assets, such as SAG-AFTRA residual payments, royalties, intellectual property rights, and real estate, including nearly $3 million in alleged missing bank accounts. The financial delays are claimed to have negatively impacted Boseman’s elderly parents and hindered the family’s closure process.
The brothers accuse Ledward of taking sole control of Chadwick Boseman, Inc., without family consultation, and making business decisions related to Boseman’s image and intellectual property independently. They also criticize Ledward for establishing The Chadwick Boseman Foundation for the Arts in 2021 without involving Boseman’s parents and appointing leadership roles that excluded the family.
The brothers are urging the court to hold Ledward accountable for delays in the estate order, distribute remaining assets promptly, replace her as estate administrator with forensic accountant Jason Rubin to investigate potential mismanagement, and demand a detailed financial report from Ledward within 30 days. They also seek an injunction to prevent Ledward from engaging in contracts involving Boseman’s image and property without family consent, as well as a shareholder meeting of Chadwick Boseman, Inc. within 30 days. A hearing is set for September 29 in Los Angeles.
In a statement to CBC News, the brothers express their desire for a transparent process that upholds court orders and ensures the responsible preservation of Boseman’s legacy. Ledward has not publicly addressed the allegations, and CBC News awaits comments from her legal representatives.