The kids of a late guitarist who performed lead for Bob Dylan within the mid-late Sixties have sued his widow over allegations of alleged elder abuse.
The grownup offspring of the famend Robbie Robertson filed the swimsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court docket, naming Janet Zuccarini, a well known Toronto restaurateur, as a defendant.
She wed Robertson months earlier than his demise this previous August at age 80, and now the late musician’s child claims she was profiting from him in his waning years, particularly when it got here to the possession of a Beverly Hills ‘trophy residence’. Â
That residence as soon as belonged to the producer of Little Store of Horrors David Geffen, and was bought by the pair primarily based on an settlement that they’d share possession of the house equally
Nevertheless, the lawsuit claims Robertson – one the founding members of famed Americana group The Band –Â coated the $1.8 million down cost in full, and cites how inside two years, Xuccarini allegedly satisfied him to elope.
The kids of Robbie Robertson, a famend guitarist who performed lead for Bob Dylan within the mid-late Sixties earlier than dying final 12 months, have sued his widow – 58-year-old Janet Zuccarini (seen with the guitarist in 2019) over allegations of ‘elder abuse’
Delphine, Alexandra and Sebastian Robertson filed the swimsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court docket, naming Zuccarini, a well known Toronto restaurateur, as a defendant
This, the swimsuit states, occurred in a non-public ceremony ‘stored secret’ from the artist’s youngsters, whereas Robertson’s well being and psychological capability was in decline.
Previous to the 2023 wedding ceremony, Zuccarini, 58, allegedly had Robertson signal a prenup, as nicely an amended Tenant In Frequent settlement that acknowledged if certainly one of them died, the property of the deceased would proceed to pay half of the mortgage.
This left the guitarist’s property and belief, Adriane Hibbert and David Jackel, on the hook, and led them to wage the present case in opposition to Zuccarini.
Robertson’s three youngsters, fellow musician Sebastian, Delphine, and Alexandra, at the moment are a part of the swimsuit, which alleges Zuccarini financially abused their father to inherit a part of his property.
‘A good time for marriage,’ the swimsuit states of Zuccarini’s alleged mindset on the time, arranging a non-public wedding ceremony away from the musician’s household in March 2023
 She then had Robertson, who performed with The Band from their inception till 1978, signal the prenuptial settlement, realizing he ‘was now not in a position to learn and wouldn’t comprehend the true import of what he was signing.’
She then noticed an ‘alternative to embark on a wedding with a sick and dying man,’ earlier than getting Robinson to spend some $175,957 on renovations and $3,381.31 on ‘furnishings and furnishings’ on the Beverly Hills three-bedroom.
A five-time Grammy nominee who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame, Robbie is seen right here shredding with Dylan again in 1972, earlier than he went on to grow to be one of many founding members of The Band
The swimsuit facilities across the pair’s buy of this Beverly Hills residence, which they mentioned was Zuccarini’s handiwork. The house was purchased lower than two years earlier than Zuccarini wed Robertson in March 2023, a ceremony held months earlier than his demise this previous August
The late musician’s youngsters declare she was profiting from him in his waning years, unbeknownst to them, previous buddies like Dylan, and the guitarist’s ex-wife Dominique Bourgeois. The trio are seen collectively in 2022
The swimsuit slams this as ‘monetary elder abuse’ and ‘tortious interference with inheritance’, citing how Zuccarini pursued the prenup and wedding ceremony in secret in order that neither they nor his ex-wife, Dominique Bourgeois, would ‘have the ability to evaluation’ it.Â
They declare they solely realized concerning the marriage – allegedly solely attended by Zuccarini’s sister and brother-in-law – hours after it occurred, exhibiting as much as the brand new home for what they assumed was an anniversary celebration.
The trio went on to discern it was a marriage celebration, after which Robertson’s kids mentioned they have been advised, straight from their father, that ‘nothing in his property plan had modified’.
They have been additional advised that they’d ‘obtain all of his property upon demise’ – a promise that didn’t pan out following the five-time Grammy nominee’s demise.
The swimsuit, which seeks to cancel the amended Tenancy In Frequent settlement whereas additionally searching for unspecified damages, is at present grinding its method via the California courts.Â
Robertson, who had an expert and private bond with Dylan that stretched again greater than half a century, died of issues created by pancreatic most cancers on August 9.
When Dylan controversially went electrical within the mid-Sixties, it was his The Band that supplied his onstage backing.
Two days after Robertson’s demise, Dylan advised Billboard: ‘That is surprising information. Robbie was a lifelong pal. His passing leaves a emptiness on this planet.’