Chester Bennington’s ex-wife has filed a claim of more than half a million dollars against the late singer’s estate.
Samantha Olit, who was married to the Linkin Park frontman from 1996 to 2005 and shared a son together, is after money Chester allegedly owed for child support from 2012 to 2017, which she estimates is $502,500 (£376,000) plus interest, TMZ.com reports.
Samantha also wants a share in the late singer’s non-touring merchandising income and other royalty rights to his music.
Chester committed suicide at his Los Angeles home in July, at the age of 41. His will was filed in October, and documents obtained by TMZ at the time revealed the majority of his assets would go to his wife Talinda and their three children.
Chester also has three children from a previous relationship, who are named as beneficiaries.
Talinda will receive the star’s retirement account and hold the rights to his music. His family trust, which was filed in 2007 and altered in 2009, will be collected by his children.
The singer is survived by six children from three relationships; 21-year-old son Jaime and adopted son Isaiah, 19, with Elka Brand, 15-year-old son Draven with first wife Samantha, and son Tyler, 11, and twin girls Lily and Lila, six, with widow Talinda.
To ensure they would remain like a family after he passed away, Chester made provisions in his will.
In it, he wrote: “I request that my children’s mothers or Guardians encourage and allow my children to visit with one another and with my extended family and the extended family of my Spouse on a regular and ongoing basis, so that my children know that they have a large and loving family.”
He also made sure they wouldn’t have to pay for these trips themselves by instructing the trustee of the family trust to make sure they are given money to cover their travel expenses. It has not been disclosed how much Chester left to his family.
