Inheritance of Bobbi Kristina settled after executors reach agreement
October 29th, 2012 by faye
The executors of Whitney Houston’s estate have already reached an agreement with her only daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, over her inheritance.
According to reports, while member of the trust — which includes the late diva’s mother Cissy and sister-in-law Pat Houston — had filed legal papers attempting to stop the original payment schedule of inheritance to Bobbi Kristina over fears those close to the 18-year-old could take advantage, all parties have now come to an agreement which is similar to the original plan.
As it stood, Bobbi Kristina is set to receive her inheritance in three segments — ten percent when she turns 21 ($2 million), almost 20 percent when she turns 25 ($4 million), and the remainder when she turns 30 ($16 million).
The reality TV star — who just got engaged to Nick Gordon — is said to be the sole beneficiary of her Whitney Houston’s estate.
Nick Gordon was informally adopted by the “I Will Always Love You” singer when he was 12 after his father went to prison and his mother was unable to take care of him. He and Bobbi Kristina were raised as brother and sister.
The two lived together as siblings for more than a decade before Whitney’s death in February, with Nick considered to be the superstar’s unofficial adopted son.
However, after Whitney’s sudden demise — having died at the age of 48 due to an accidental drowning complicated by heart disease and cocaine use — the controversial pair grew closer.
Cissy Houston afraid Bobbi Kristina will die like Whitney Houston
October 8th, 2012 by faye
Cissy Houston — the mother of late pop diva Whitney Houston — is scared that her granddaughter Bobbi Kristina Brown will end up dying like her mother, in a haze of drugs, alcohol and other bad influences.
According to TMZ reports, the Cissy Houston and the rest of the family are planning to go to court in a bid to keep the inheritance money of Bobbi Kristina protected from bad influences.
Sources close to 79-year-old Cissy claims that she fears Bobbi’s own boyfriend Nick Gordon and father Bobby Brown are capable of “draining Bobbi’s fortune given half the chance.” She also added that since Bobbi Kristina is extremely impressionable right now, if she is left unchecked with millions of dollars, she could easily end up going off the rails and suffer the same fate as her mother, Whitney Houston.
Sources added that Cissy Houston wants 19-year-old Bobbi Kristina to “mature” first before getting her hands on an estate of $20 million.
The trustees of the estate, which includes Cissy, have filed legal papers requesting that the payment schedule to Bobbi Kristina be altered. Radar Online reports that they fear the 19-year-old is under the “undue influence” of objectionable people.
According to court documents filed in Fulton County Superior Court in Atlanta, Cissy Houston is claiming her granddaughter “is a highly visible target for those who would exert undue influence over her inheritance and/or seek to benefit from respondent’s resources and celebrity.”
The trustees claim in the schedule of distribution conflicts with her “intent to provide long-term financial security and protection for her child.”
“Compliance with the provisions of the trust would defeat or substantially impair the accomplishment of the purposes of the trust, which were to provide for the proper maintenance and comfort of the respondent, and to prevent the wasting of trust assets, as evidenced by the trust’s spendthrift provision.”
Bobbi Kristina is the sole beneficiary of Whitney Houston’s estate, which holds all of the superstar’s remaining earnings and assets.
The development follows Bobbi’s recent public appearance with her “brother boyfriend” Nick Gordon at the premiere of “Sparkle” in Los Angeles.
The couple sported new tattoos on their wrists that bore the letters WH surrounded by doves. They had the work done on what would have been Whitney’s 49th birthday.
Meanwhile, Bobbi Kristina is currently filming her reality show “The Houston Family Chronicles,” which debuts later this year.
Her father, singer Bobby Brown recently went to rehab after an extended period of boozing in reaction to Whitney’s death, and his subsequent estrangement from his daughter.
Aretha Franklin on rumors of missing Houston’s funeral: “Stop the BS”
February 24th, 2012 by faye
The Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin has finally addressed the speculations going round on why she missed the funeral of late music icon Whitney Houston. And it looks like she’s not very happy about the rumors spreading that she was “banned” from going to the funeral due to a dispute with Cissy Houston, even after Aretha Franklin had explained why she was not able to come at Houston’s last rites.
The 69-year-old Aretha Franklin issued a statement saying, “Extra TV, the New York Post and Newsday (New York) should stop the BS. Cissy Houston and I have been longtime friends for almost 50 years.”
“I have four invitations and parking passes that were sent to me for the funeral. Extra TV, the New York Post and Newsday (New York) are more interested in sensationalism and negative speculations than the truth. People are getting their information from the wrong source, “ Aretha Franklin continued. “The intelligent and the thoughtful thing to do would be to respect and have some sensitivity to the moment. If you don’t know how, at least try.”
The soul singer Aretha Franklin added, “Cissy Houston does not need ridiculous speculation and neither do I—particularly at this time. Also, with respect to the Today Show, my entire statement was pretaped. However, the Today Show did not air the part of my statement, which said, ‘This is no reflection on Cissy Houston or Nippy’s upbringing.’ Knowing Cissy Houston as well as I do, I know Whitney left home right and properly. I was generalizing and it was a well intended statement for any young adult coming into the music industry. I was not speaking of anyone specifically.”
Aretha Franklin released a statement Saturday clarifying her reason for not going and giving her condolences. “Unfortunately I had terrible leg spasms and locked leg muscles until 4:00 a.m. this morning following my concert last night, which I’ve been having for the last few days. I feel it necessary and very important to stay off my leg today as much as possible until concert time this evening. My heart goes out to my dear friend Cissy Houston, Dionne Warwick, Bobbi Kristina Brown and the rest of the family. May God keep them all,” Aretha Franklin said.
Whitney Houston passed way on February 11 in Beverly Hills, the same night when the Grammy Awards was about to take place. The 48-year-old singer was found unresponsive in a bathtub at the Beverly Hilton, submerged in the water. The cause of death has not officially been released, pending results of toxicology and other tests.
Aretha Franklin reportedly ‘banned’ from Whitney Houston’s funeral
February 22nd, 2012 by faye
There have been reports lately that say the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin was apparently banned from attending the funeral of late musical icon Whitney Houston last Saturday due to the comments Franklin said in an interview on the “Today Show.”
An original report from the ‘New York Daily News’ says that Franklin “angered” Cissy Houston, mother of Whitney Houston, with Aretha Franklin’s candid comments about the late singer during an interview on the “Today Show.”
“Parents have to really talk to their children before they leave home. They have to make sure when they leave home, they have all the right things. She left home with all the right things, but she just kind of lost her way along the way,” Aretha Franklin told host Al Roker.
The story from ‘New York Daily News’ suggests it was this “veiled criticism” of the “I Will Always Love You” singer’s upbringing that led Aretha Franklin to be banned from the funeral mass of Whitney Houston. They are backing up the story with the fact that Franklin played a sold-out concert in Radio City Music Hall on Saturday night as evidence that there could be something to the “ban” explanation. However, Aretha Franklin denied the allegations and released a statement regarding her absence from the funeral of Whitney Houston, saying that she wanted to “stay off [her] leg” (for medical reasons) as much as possible before her concert that night. And it warrants mention that during the funeral, co-singer Dionne Warwick called for Franklin, who was still on the scheduled speakers list, to address mourners, before being alerted that Aretha Franklin was not in attendance.