Tupac Shakur’s maternal sister, Sekyiwa Shakur, has filed a lawsuit against her brother’s estate executor, accusing the man of “embezzling millions” from it. She is the “surviving sister of Tupac Amaru Shakur and the surviving daughter of Afeni.”
Sekyiwa and The Tupak Shakur Foundation filed the lawsuit on January 10 at the Los Angeles Superior Court. The claim accused Tom Whalley of misusing his power and using the estate to promote his best interests. Sekyiwa alleged that Whalley appointed himself as a key estate manager, which is a conflict of interest.
“He has effectively embezzled millions of dollars for his own benefit,” Sekyiwa wrote. “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.”
The lawsuit also stated that Whalley swindled her brother’s estate out of $5.5 million after hiring himself as Amaru Entertainment’s overseer.
“Whalley has already received more than $5.5 million that he has paid himself in the last five years through Amaru.”
The 47-year-old heir accused Whalley of withholding property and a bounty that included cars, Tupac’s “golden records,” and jewelry from the emcee left to Afeni after the rapper’s death in 1996.
“It is clear that he 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.”
Sekyiwa is represented by the attorney who handled deceased singer Prince’s estate after his death and served as his legal counsel when he was alive.
Whalley has denied any wrongdoing. His attorney, Howard King, claimed that the man acted in Tupac’s best interest and was a “friend and confidant” to the rapper and Afeni.
“These legal claims are disappointing and detrimental to all beneficiaries of the trust,” King said. “We are confident the court will promptly conclude that Tom has always acted in the best interests of Amaru, the trust, and all beneficiaries.”
Afeni passed away in 2016, and Whalley reportedly became the estate’s executor after her death.
