Nearly two years after Jimmy Buffett’s death, his widow, Jane Slagsvol, filed a lawsuit against the co-trustee of the singer’s estate.
Slagsvol named Richard Mozenter, who helps manage Buffett’s estate, in a June 2025 lawsuit, claiming that he’s yet to disclose key financial matters. According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly that same month, Slagsvol is seeking to remove Mozenter as a trustee because he allegedly hasn’t acted “responsibly and performed his duties.”
“Mr. Mozenter has failed to perform even the most basic tasks required of him in his role as co-trustee, including providing Mrs. Buffett with information concerning Trust assets and finances, which has left Mrs. Buffett in the dark with regard to the state of her own finances,” Slagsvol’s filing reads. “Along the way, Mr. Mozenter has belittled, disrespected, and condescended to Mrs. Buffett in response to her reasonable requests for information she undoubtedly was entitled to receive.”
Mozenter, an accountant, has not addressed the accusations. Us has reached out for comment.
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Keep scrolling for more on Buffett’s death and resulting estate battle:
When Did Jimmy Buffett Die?
The “Margaritaville” singer died in September 2023 at the age of 76.
“Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st, surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs,” a statement at the time read. “He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many.”
Buffett is survived by Slagsvol, whom he married in 1977, and their three children: Savannah, Sarah and Cameron.
What Was Jimmy Buffett’s Cause of Death?
According to a September 2023 obituary shared on Buffett’s website, he had privately battled Merkel cell skin cancer for four years. The American Cancer Society defines Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) as a rare type of skin cancer that develops when cells grow “out of control” and can spread quickly to other parts of the body.
“He continued to perform during treatment, playing his last show, a surprise appearance in Rhode Island, in early July,” the obituary noted.
Trust Details
Buffett created a trust in December 1990 for Slagsvol’s benefit, according to her filing. The terms were amended in 2017 and 2023, respectively, to account for Savannah, Sarah and Cameron. The trust now gives each of Buffett’s children a one-third share of the estate’s tax exemption, which is worth around $2 million.
The trust had stipulated that the bulk of Buffett’s assets would pass to Slagsvol’s marital trust that she co-administers with an independent party.
Jane Slagsvol’s Alleged Grievances
In her legal motion, Slagsvol claimed that Mozenter had not helped her understand Buffett’s financial standing.
“Rather than help his recently widowed client understand her finances, Mr. Mozenter spent the next 16 months stonewalling and making excuses for why he could not yet provide the requested information,” her filing states.
According to Slagsvol, Mozenter only provided an estimate in February 2025, claiming the marital trust only netted a $2 million income.
“If the Marital Trust truly earns such a low return consistent with the financials Mr. Mozenter presented, it will confirm that Mr. Mozenter is either not competent to administer the Trust or unwilling to act in Mrs. Buffett’s best interests,” the docs read. “Even if Mr. Mozenter believes he has been unfairly criticized for his failure to discharge his duties as co-trustee (he has not), he concedes that he cannot ‘have one productive conversation with [Mrs. Buffett] about any topics.’ But Mr. Mozenter nonetheless insists he remain in a position of authority over Mrs. Buffett’s wealth. That makes no sense.”
