Tony! Toni! Toné! singer D’Wayne Wiggins made music that brought families together.
Now, months after his untimely death, his own family is embroiled in a bitter dispute, revealing drama far removed from their chart-topping hits.
The fight centers on Wiggins’ estimated $700,000 estate.
His children say he excluded them from his final will. They do not believe that decision reflected their father’s true wishes.
The case was filed in the Alameda County Superior Court at the Berkeley Courthouse in California.
The battle became so heated that a probate judge had to intervene.
The court temporarily froze all distributions from Wiggins’ estate and trust. No money can leave while the family challenges the documents.
According to TMZ, the order covers payments to third parties. It also states that the estate cannot donate money to Wiggins’ foundation, fund scholarships, or issue other grants.
The judge wants to preserve the remaining assets. The court must first decide whether Wiggins’ final will and trust are valid.
Wiggins’ daughter, Ilahn Wiggins, filed the challenge with her two brothers. She told TMZ that their father shared a loving relationship with his children.
Her siblings claim their father signed the documents during end-of-life care. They suggest Wiggins was taking heavy medication, believed to have compromised his mental capacity.
Their accusations focus on a woman named Veleta Savannah.
Savannah reportedly told the children that she controlled the trust. She also allegedly blocked them from entering their father’s home.
Ilahn raised another troubling claim. She alleges that Savannah used a power of attorney document to withdraw $20,000 from Wiggins’ bank account.
Savannah denies any wrongdoing, claiming a doctor evaluated Wiggins before he signed the new documents. The examination reportedly occurred one day before the signing.
According to Savannah, the doctor found Wiggins alert. The physician also considered him competent. Savannah says Wiggins could manage his financial and personal affairs.
Savannah insists that Wiggins knowingly placed her in charge. She also claims he intentionally disinherited his children. That is a shocking final decision. His children clearly are not accepting it without a fight.
Wiggins married Dori Wiggins several months before his death. The original filing identified Savannah as his niece, though later a TMZ report described her as his cousin.
The family tree may be unclear. The family feud is not.
Facebook users were stunned that the late singer’s legacy had become tangled in such an ugly fight.
“Mo money, mo problems. Family fighting over another’s money is disgusting. They should donate his estate to his favorite charities in HIS name,” said one person.
A second person wondered, “Why would he give his cousin total control over his estate and cut his kids out? This is very fishy.”
Others could not believe the amount at the center of the dispute.
“They fighting for $700,000?” one commenter asked. Another person simply stated, “Sad!!! It’s not worth squabbling over if it’s no wife but kids the children get it…. So talented and as we know the music industry continues to cheat artist!!!”
Several people predicted that the legal fight would drain the estate before anyone received a dime.
“I just took a deep dive. I looked up the court documents on Dwayne Wiggins’ estate & trust that’s in court. He died March 7th 2025. He updated his trust February 25, 2025. They were in court invalidating the trust by April 10th 2025. This is a mess. I’m thinking about all of the back and forth hearings and the costs. I looked up all of the lawyers involved. The lawyers will probably end up with the bulk of this estate. Not getting along is expensive.”
Some users saw the feud as another cautionary tale about estate planning.
Wiggins died in Oakland on March 7, 2025, at the age of 64. He had privately battled bladder cancer for about one year.
The chart-topper founded Tony! Toni! Toné! with his brother Raphael Saadiq and cousin Timothy Christian Riley. The group helped define modern R&B. Its hits include “Feels Good,” “Anniversary” and “Whatever You Want.”
He was not just making music with his family members. Wiggins was building a business.
In 1995, he launched Grass Roots Entertainment, where he developed rising talent while earning production fees, executive credits, and publishing income. His Oakland studio, House of Music, also became a creative gold mine.
Bookings and development sessions brought in revenue, while future stars including Destiny’s Child, Keyshia Cole, and India.Arie came through its doors before becoming household names, Celebrity Net Worth reports.
A trial date for Wiggins’ estate has been set for this month.
