Tupac Shakur’s sister filed a lawsuit against the executor of his estate on Monday (January 10).
Sekyiwa Shakur accused Tom Whalley, the executor of the estate since Afeni Shakur died in 2016, of embezzling more than $5.5 million from Amaru Entertainment.
Tupac Shakur’s mother Afeni founded the Amaru record label to handle the late rapper’s music. According to Billboard, Sekyiwa Shakur claims Whalley hired himself as the manager of Amaru despite a conflict of interest.
“He has effectively embezzled millions of dollars for his own benefit well in excess of what would be reasonably necessary to retain a properly qualified third-party to perform such services,” the lawsuit reads. “As a result, Whalley has unreasonably enriched himself at the expense of the beneficiaries and in bad faith by taking excessive compensation in a position from which he should properly be barred based on the inherent conflict of interest.”
Sekyiwa Shakur also took issue with Whalley allegedly refusing to release personal property held by the estate. Some of the items were inherited by Tupac Shakur’s mother Afeni after he died and hold “tremendous sentimental value.”
“It is clear that [Whalley] has used and abused his powers as executor and special trustee of the estate and the trust to convert the personal property belonging to Sekyiwa as a piggy bank from which he has drawn substantial funds for his own benefit,” the lawsuit contends.
Whalley’s lawyer Howard King denied the allegations against his client. King said Whalley became the manager of Amaru prior to Afeni Shakur’s death.
“These legal claims are disappointing and detrimental to all beneficiaries of the trust,” King told Billboard. “We are confident the court will promptly conclude that Tom has always acted in the best interests of Amaru, the trust and all beneficiaries.”
