The estate managed by the late 'Rehab' singer's father wants nearly $1 million in damages from two of her friends after they sold memorabilia related to her at auction.
- Dec 22, 2023
AceShowbiz - Amy Winehouse's estate files a lawsuit against two of the late singer's friends for more than £730,000. The case is being launched by tragic Amy's dad Mitch Winehouse, 73, who says his daughter's former pals profited from selling her personal property at an auction.
Mitch, who has become administrator of his daughter's estate since her death from alcohol poisoning aged 27 on July 23, 2011, is making the accusation against Naomi Parry and Catriona Gourlay at London's High Court.
According to the court document, it is alleged two women sent "various items of personal property owned by Amy during her lifetime" to two auctions in 2021 and this year.
It is claimed that by putting the items up for sale "in their own names and on their own behalf" the women "converted" the late performer's property "to their own use."
Amy's estate is seeking £534,192.90 in damages from Naomi, and claiming £198,041.07 from Catriona.
A statement first issued by a spokesperson for the Amy Winehouse Estate last month said, "In 2021, Amy's estate auctioned items from her life and career with 30% of the proceeds going to the Amy Winehouse Foundation."
"Two individuals sold a number of items at that auction and have retained the proceeds. The items were all Amy related. This year they have put more Amy-related items up for auction and together the two auctions have generated six figure sums for each of them."
"The estate has questioned how these items came into their possession and has not had satisfactory answers. The estate has therefore launched a legal process to clarify the situation. The Amy Winehouse Foundation will directly benefit if monies are recovered from either defendant."
Amy's cause of death was revealed to be accidental by way of alcohol poisoning after years of her struggles with substance abuse, mental health issues and addiction.
She is probably most famed for her 2006 "Back to Black" album, which made her a global star and won five Grammys, including record of the year and song of the year for her hit "Rehab".
