A federal judge just slammed the brakes on D’Wayne Wiggins’ $700K estate, and the drama surrounding the late Tony! Toni! Toné! co-founder’s fortune is about to hit the courtroom full force.
The judge entered a temporary order prohibiting the estate from sending money to any third parties, including donations to his foundation, scholarships, and other grants. This move came down RIGHT NOW—September 3, 2026—as the family war moves into full trial mode.
Here’s the ugly situation: D’Wayne Wiggins’ family is in disagreement over control of his estate, with his daughter Ilahn Wiggins claiming she and her siblings Dylan and Jaden have been disinherited in favor of their cousin Veleta Savannah. Veleta—who claims to be in charge of his trust and estate—has been acting like she’s running the whole show since D’Wayne passed.
But here’s where it gets messy. Ilahn suggests heavy medication given during his cancer treatment and end-of-life care may have influenced his decision to change his estate plans. Translation: the kids think their father wasn’t in his right mind when he allegedly cut them out. Ilahn believes Veleta used a Power of Attorney document to withdraw $20K from D’Wayne’s bank account.
Veleta ain’t backing down either. She claims D’Wayne was examined by a doctor before his death and found to be alert and capable of managing his affairs; she says the doctor found D’Wayne did not need assistance with managing his finances. In other words: “He was fine when he changed his will, and he WANTED to cut y’all off.”
This all goes back to March 7, 2025, when D’Wayne died in Oakland, California, following a cancer battle. The Oakland legend was a pillar of the culture—producer, mentor, guitarist, and co-founder of one of the dopest R&B groups of the ’90s. But he married Dori Wiggins only a few months before his passing, adding another wrinkle to the inheritance question.
What makes this even more complicated: his assets are worth $700,000 and could also include music royalties, as the R&B legend is responsible for classic songs still in rotation. We’re not just talking liquid cash here—”Feels Good,” “Anniversary,” and the catalog still generate revenue. That’s real money at stake.
The family has been waiting since March 2025 to settle this. Nearly 18 months later, a trial was set for September—which means we’re heading into the courthouse RIGHT NOW. The judge’s freeze order is basically saying: “Hold up. Nobody’s touching this money until a court decides who it actually belongs to.” That’s a power move from the bench, and it signals the judge sees real questions about the validity of those will changes.
This is the kind of estate fight that defines post-death family dynamics in entertainment—and it’s testing whether a dying man’s final wishes hold up when money, medication, and family politics collide.
The 16BARS take: Judge just hit pause on $700K and Veleta’s whole operation. If Ilahn can prove her father wasn’t mentally clear when that will got changed, everything flips—and the man’s own children get their inheritance back from the cousin. Watch the September trial.
