Seven of Ray Charles’ children have been sued by members of the late singer’s charity foundation, reports CNN.
Executives behind The Ray Charles Foundation claim they were named the sole benefactors, with Charles setting up a $500,000 trust for each of his kids in exchange for a guarantee that they “relinquished and waived any further claims to their father’s estate.”
However, Charles’ adult children have recently claimed ownership over their dad’s musical catalogue and now the foundation has launched a legal battle against the star’s heirs in a bid to win back the rights.
The lawsuit filed at the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, states, “The self-serving attempts on the part of the defendants to deprive the foundation of its said intellectual property and contract rights not only is contrary to the express wishes of their father and in breach of the agreement they signed and promises that they made, but is contrary to the best interests of those innocent parties who would be benefited by the grants made by the foundation.”
Foundation chiefs are asking for $500,000 in damages from each of Charles’ four daughters and three sons.
The blues legend, who passed away of liver disease in 2004, aged 73, had a total of 12 children but the other five were not named.
The Ray Charles Foundation supports youth programs and funds research for the hearing impaired.
