3 days ago
Jimmy Buffett's Widow in Legal Battle Over $275 Million Margaritaville Estate
Jimmy Buffett's widow Jane and the co-trustee of her husband's estate are suing each other over control of the 'Margaritaville' singer's $275 million estate.
A petition filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday revealed that Jane Buffett is in the midst of an 'unsolvable rift' with co-trustee Rick Mozenter. She accused Mozenter of mismanaging the trust and failing to act in her best interest, despite his company being paid $1.75 million last year for their services.
The filing said Mozenter 'belittled, disrespected and condescended' Buffet's widow in response to 'reasonable requests for information she undoubtedly was entitled to receive.'
Mozenter's attorneys filed their own suit on June 2 in state court in Palm Beach, Florida, which claimed Jane Buffet had interfered in ways that have cost the trust financially and that she should be removed as co-trustee.
Musician and businessman Jimmy Buffett, who died of cancer in September 2023, was married to Jane for 46 years. She was initially the sole beneficiary of his estate, which also takes care of the couple's three children. After Buffett's death, Mozenter became co-trustee of his assets, including the Margaritaville company. It was named after his 1977 hit song.
Buffett's filing stated Mozenter had been 'openly hostile and adversarial' toward her since her husband died. He took over a year to provide her with the estate's estimated income after 'stonewalling' and 'making excuses' for the delay. In February 2025, Mozenter eventually informed her she would received around $2 million annually from the trust and that she may need to sell her own real estate in order to maintain her lifestyle.
Buffett found that estimate 'shocking' as Mozenter had acknowledged the Margaritaville company had paid out $14 million over the past 18 months.
Buffett's lawyers state that Mozenter is 'is either not competent to administer the trust or unwilling to act in [her] best interests' and has had 'unprofessional and combative communications with Mrs. Buffett,' including stating that his time is 'wasted by her.'
Buffett seeks to remove Mozenter and replace him with Daniel Neidich, CEO of Dune Real Estate Partners.
The Margaritaville company, which Buffett's estate has a 20 percent stake in, includes more than 30 restaurants and 20 hotels. Buffett's estate also included $34.5 million in property, $15.3 million in airplanes and $11.4 million in fine art according to the lawsuit.
Rick Mozenter has been approached for comment.
