Nationwide — D’Wayne Wiggins’ estate has been temporarily frozen as his family continues to fight over his final wishes and control of his reported $700,000 fortune. A judge has blocked distributions from his estate and trust while relatives dispute the validity of documents signed shortly before his death in March 2025. According to Complex, the court order prevents money from the estate and trust from being distributed to outside parties for now. It also stops charitable payments connected to his work, including donations, scholarships and grants. The restrictions come as relatives continue to challenge how his estate has been handled since his death.
The dispute centers on his niece, Veleta Savannah, who says her uncle intentionally placed her in charge of his trust and estate. She has pushed back against claims that he was not mentally capable of making that decision. Savannah points to a medical evaluation conducted shortly before he signed updated estate documents. She says the doctor found him “alert” and able to manage his affairs or instruct someone else to do so.
Savannah says Wiggins signed a new will and trust the day after the evaluation. She maintains that he understood his decisions and deliberately chose her to oversee his estate. She also says he intended to leave his children out of the inheritance. His daughter, Ilahn Wiggins, and other relatives dispute that version of events. They say he was receiving end-of-life care and taking powerful medication when he signed the documents, raising questions about whether he could make important financial and legal decisions.
The disagreement also involves money that was handled before and after his death. Ilahn previously estimated the estate at around $700,000 and said Savannah told Wiggins’ children after his death that she was the trustee. She also accused Savannah of using a power of attorney to withdraw about $20,000 from one of his bank accounts. Savannah has denied the family’s broader claims that Wiggins was unable to manage or direct his own affairs.
Wiggins died from cancer in Oakland on March 7, 2025, at 64. He left behind a lasting R&B legacy after forming Tony! Toni! Toné! with his brother Raphael Saadiq and cousin Timothy Christian Riley. The Oakland group became a major force in R&B during the late 1980s and 1990s, releasing albums including “The Revival” and “Sons of Soul.” Their hits included “Feels Good,” “It Never Rains (In Southern California)” and “Anniversary.” Wiggins also worked with artists such as D’Angelo, En Vogue, and Tevin Campbell.