The lengthy legal battle between 2Pac’s sister Sekyiwa Shakur and music executive Tom Whalley over control of her late brother’s estate has escalated, as Sekyiwa now claims that Whalley has been withholding information as he mishandles her brother’s assets.
In a new court filing obtained by Billboard, Sekyiwa alleges that Whalley has not been transparent in reporting information about the estate to its beneficiaries, despite the court ordering him to do so on several occasions. She says that Whalley has demonstrated a “false sense of entitlement, disregard for transparency and unwillingness to properly comply with his obligation to account to the petitioners and act as a fiduciary.”
Whalley became the trustee for the Afeni Shakur-Davis Separate Property Trust after 2Pac’s mother passed away in 2016. She was the original trustee following the murder of the prolific rapper in 1996. In addition to claiming that Whalley has been “embezzling millions of dollars for his own benefit,” the lawsuit that Sekyiwa initially filed in January also claims that the music executive has been withholding personal items from the family that have “tremendous sentimental value.”
Her attorneys, Londell McMillan, Donald David, and Joshua R. Mandell, wrote on Monday that Whalley has not been following what the judge has requested in terms of delivering specific information to the court.
“Respondent could very easily have provided these documents in support of his accounting, but has refused to produce any,” the lawyers wrote. “Respondent has chosen to keep his actions and the status of the assets in the Trust and Amaru in the dark, rather than allow reasonable review and comment.”
In January, the trust attorney Howard King refuted Sekyiwa’s previous claims, saying that Whalley was a trusted friend of Pac’s. He signed Pac to Interscope Records as well.
“These legal claims are disappointing and detrimental to all beneficiaries of the trust,” King told Billboard in a statement. “We are confident the court will promptly conclude that Tom has always acted in the best interests of Amaru, the trust, and all beneficiaries.”
Whalley’s attorneys have not yet responded to the new claims against him. The hearing for this case is set for next month.