The actress and the third wife of her father are battling for control over the company since the children's 38 per cent of common shares in the business has a crucial role in management changes.
- July 29, 2010
AceShowbiz - "Sin City" actress Devon Aoki is tangled in a court battle with her stepmother over the control of her late father's chain of Benihana steakhouse restaurants. Rocky Aoki's third wife Keiko is battling for control of the family trust Benihana of Tokyo, which benefits founder Rocky's children from his first and second marriages, including actress and model Devon.
The children's 38 per cent of common shares in the business is held in the trust - and is a crucial point of control over the company as Keiko fights with Aoki's kids over management changes. Three board seats, including the one held by CEO Richard Stockinger, are up for election at the company's 14 September shareholder meeting.
However, Keiko opposes one of the two candidates nominated by her stepchildren. Keiko tells the New York Post she hopes to have a decision from New York's Surrogate Court on who controls the trust before the annual September meeting.
