Fight over Mikaben’s estate moves from social media to Florida court

CLEARWATER, Fla.—- A heated dispute over the estate and intellectual property of late Haitian music icon Michael “Mikaben” Benjamin has escalated, moving from social media debates to the Florida courts. The dispute, now the subject of a formal court motion, highlights a deepening rift between Mikaben’s widow, Vanessa Fanfan, and his brother, Lionel “Ti Lion” Benjamin Jr., as they fight for control over the artist’s legacy.

The legal battle, now playing out in a Florida courtroom, centers on who should control Mikaben’s intellectual property, royalties, and estate funds. His brother, Lionel Benjamin Jr., argues that these assets belong to Mika Ben Productions, Inc., a company he co-founded with Mikaben, rather than to his widow, Vanessa Fanfan. Lionel claims that Vanessa improperly assumed control of company accounts, redirected funds, and filed copyright and trademark claims in her name—moves he says violate both U.S. and Haitian law. Meanwhile, Vanessa, as Mikaben’s surviving spouse, has asserted her rights over the estate, including the music catalog and funds raised through a GoFundMe campaign following his death. The case has sparked intense debate within the Haitian music industry and among fans, raising broader questions about artist estates, corporate ownership, and inheritance rights.

Documents first obtained by The Haitian Times show that Lionel Benjamin Jr. filed a motion on Feb. 11 in Florida’s Sixth Judicial Circuit Court to remove the estate’s court-appointed co-personal representatives and reclaim control of Mikaben’s trademarks and copyrights.

Sources familiar with the dispute, who requested anonymity because they are not authorized spokespersons for the family, told The Haitian Times that Lionel claims the improper management of Mikaben’s assets by his widow shortly after his death has resulted in financial losses and misallocation of funds belonging to Mika Ben Productions, Inc., a company incorporated in Delaware in 2009 and co-owned with his late brother. 

Multiple documents attached as exhibits to the motion reveal a series of exchanges between representatives of both sides after Vanessa Fanfan briefly assumed control of the company’s accounts and assets in 2023. These documents also highlight actions from the past year, including a court summary of administration proceedings in favor of Vanessa, which was later reversed after Lionel filed a motion to vacate in August 2023, claiming she misused summary letters of administration to improperly gain control of assets and accounts belonging to Mika Ben Productions, Inc. 

 “The wife and the children would be entitled to all songs recorded by the artist if his productions were not done under the umbrella of a corporation not solely owned by him,” the sources said. “Because the company is a 50-50 split between the two brothers, Mikaben’s beneficiaries are only entitled to 50% of its economic interests.”

According to the court filing, Lionel is not challenging Vanessa’s rights as Mikaben’s surviving spouse. Instead, he seeks relief from the court to keep his company’s accounts out of the Mikaben widow’s reach. 

A summary of the key accusations include:

• Mismanagement of corporate funds: Lionel claims Vanessa redirected earnings from Mika Ben Productions, Inc.’s accounts into her personal accounts. He also argues that this deprived the estate and Mikaben’s children of their rightful shares.
• GoFundMe funds in question: Following Mikaben’s death, his widow launched a GoFundMe campaign, “Mika’s Legacy,” which raised $246,650. Lionel alleges these funds were never transferred to the estate for proper distributions, as required by a court order.
• Control over music royalties: Lionel contends Vanessa improperly assumed control of royalty accounts (including TuneCore, CD Baby, and DistroKid) tied to Mikaben’s music but belong to Mika Ben Productions, Inc. He claims she withdrew nearly $27,000 from corporate accounts and deposited the money into her personal account.
• Disputed copyright and trademark filings: Vanessa is accused of filing false copyright and trademark claims for Mikaben’s music and brand, asserting sole ownership despite the assets belonging to Mika Ben Productions, Inc., sources said.

Background and concerns over estate management

Mikaben, who died tragically after collapsing on stage immediately after a performance at a concert with  Carimi in Paris, France, on October 15, 2022, at age 41, was a celebrated Haitian artist known for blending Konpa, Reggae and R&B. The son of legendary Haitian singer and respected entrepreneur Lionel “Père Noël” Benjamin, Mikaben’s influence spanned decades and reached audiences worldwide, with his career kicking off in 1999. Following Mikaben’s death, a tribute honoring his legacy has been paid by Haitian artists, family members and music fans to his memory around Oct. 15 each year.

At the time of his death, Mikaben was survived by his wife, Vanessa; his son, Gabriel; and his daughter, Maia. He also left his wife pregnant with Leia, who was born shortly after. Aside from his famous father Père Noël, and brother and business partner, Ti Lion, Mikaben’s memory is cherished by his mother, Roseline, a renowned psychologist and university professor in Haiti, and her sister, Mélodie, also a psychologist and singer.

Mikaben’s estate includes a valuable music catalog, royalties and other intellectual property rights.

The motion alleges they:

• Did not ensure the GoFundMe funds were properly accounted for.
• Wrongfully claimed control over corporate assets.
• Allowed Vanessa to retain estate assets that should have been distributed among all beneficiaries.

Vanessa Fanfan declined to comment when contacted by The Haitian Times.

“I am sorry, but I have no comments on this topic for now,” she texted, deferring to her publicist for any other comment.

The filing cites Florida statutes §733.604(2) and §733.609, which define the fiduciary duties of estate representatives as impartial and limited to the administration of someone’s estate, not a corporation. Lionel’s attorneys argue in the motion that the co-personal representatives have failed to uphold these responsibilities.

Legal dispute over Mikaben’s intellectual property

A key issue in the dispute is the ownership and management of Mikaben’s intellectual property. Lionel asserts that the master recordings and music compositions Mikaben created are assets of Mika Ben Productions, Inc., not personal property. He further argues that Haitian copyright law governs these works, given Mikaben’s Haitian nationality and where the works were created.

Lionel’s motion challenges Vanessa’s recent attempts to claim sole ownership of these assets in U.S. copyright and trademark filings. He argues that her actions violate both U.S. and Haitian law and contradict agreements Mikaben made during his lifetime.

As the dispute escalates, Lionel is seeking several legal remedies, including:

• The immediate removal of the co-personal representatives.
• The restoration of corporate accounts to Mika Ben Productions, Inc.
• An order requiring Vanessa to return funds withdrawn from corporate accounts.
• A court injunction preventing further interference in company operations.
• The proper transfer of GoFundMe funds to the estate.

Broader implications of the dispute

The dispute has drawn significant attention in the Haitian music industry (HMI) and among Mikaben’s global fan base—many hope for a resolution that honors his legacy and the long-held reputation of the Benjamins.

As the legal battle unfolds, the future of Mikaben’s estate, intellectual property and artistic contributions remains uncertain. The court proceedings in Florida will determine the fate of his music catalog and whether his company, Mika Ben Productions, Inc., retains control over his creative work.

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