The woman who was engaged to renowned jazz saxophonist Stan Getz when he died has filed a petition asking that the trustee of the trust established on her behalf be removed and directed to give an accounting of how much he has been charging for his services.
Actress Samantha Cesena filed the petition Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court against Marvin Zolt. Getz executed his will in April 1991 and established the Samantha Trust for the benefit of his then-fiancee.
Getz died two months of liver cancer at age 64.
Getz was known for popularizing the bossa nova sound and teamed up with other musicians to record the 1964 smash hit “The Girl From Ipanema,” which won a Grammy award.
Zolt could not be reached for comment. He has served as trustee of the Samantha Trust for 15 years, according to the petition. Cesena and her attorney first requested an accounting from him in November 2009, but Zolt did not comply, the petition states.
Cesena did not pursue the issue further at the time because of financial constraints, the petition states. She and her lawyer made a second accounting request last July, but Zolt again did not respond, the petition states.
Zolt determined that Cesena was to receive a monthly payment of $2,500 from the trust, but she was not paid for several months dating from July 2013 to the present and is owed about $35,000, according to the petition.
Zolt, when he has paid Cesena, has used multiple different bank accounts and she is concerned that may be a sign he is using some of the trust funds for improper purposes, the petition states.
Cesena believes that accountant Noah Rifkin, who is familiar with the Samantha Trust and shared an office with Zolt, would be better suited as trustee, the petition states.
— City News Service