Executor of Tupac’s late mother’s estate accused of “embezzling millions”

Sekyiwa Shakur — Tupac’s sister — is suing Tom Whalley, the executor of her late mother’s estate for “embezzling millions”.

Sekyiwa has alleged that Whalley is using the funds as his own personal “piggy bank”. Much of the estate is made up of funds Tupac left behind following his death in September 1996.

The lawsuit was filed in a Los Angeles court on January 10th by Skyiwa and The Tupac Shakur Foundation. Whallyey has been sued for “blatant violations” of his duties as executor of the estate of Afeni Shakur-Davis — Tupac and Sekyiwa’s mother.

The suit read: “He has effectively embezzled millions of dollars for his own benefit. 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 says that royalties generated by Tupac’s catalogue is the “principal income-producing asset of the trust”. This was transferred to Afeni after Tupac’s death and subsequently to Whalley in 2016 after she passed away.

Sekyiwa also claimed that Whalley made himself the manager of Amaru entertainment — Tupac’s record label — which made a lot of money for the trust. “Whalley has already received more than $5.5 million that he has paid himself in the last five years through Amaru,” she added in the suit.

The executor is also being accused of withholding personal property including cars, gold records and jewelry inherited by Afeni from her son.

“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,” the suit read.

Whalley’s lawyer Howard King has denied the claims:

“These legal claims are disappointing and detrimental to all beneficiaries of the trust. We are confident the court will promptly conclude that Tom has always acted in the best interests of Amaru, the trust, and” all beneficiaries,” he said in a statement.

The Shakur Estate recently celebrated the late rapper’s legacy with an NFT series. The four-piece series is based on some of Tupac’s personal jewelry pieces that each reflect what the hip-hop icon saw in himself according to a press release.

“The Artist” is represented by his 2PAC ring, the Makaveli bracelet represents “The Activist”, a solitaire diamond ring symbolises “The Sinner” and “The Saint” is indicated by the Euphanasia medallion necklace, which he wore in the last photo ever taken of him.

A press release for the collection read:

“Tupac’s belief that everyone has the right to express themselves honestly through whichever artform they saw fit includes everything from music, to acting, from writing to dance, from photography and culinary art to self-expression through fashion.”

“For Tupac, this included his choice of jewelry. In the last year of his life, he had the luxury of not just affording higher-end items, but he started to design them himself, down to the smallest details.”