NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson has reached a settlement in the bitter legal dispute between Benson and his heirs – daughter Renee Benson and grandchildren Rita and Ryan LeBlanc.
Benson had filed a lawsuit asking that his family members be removed from ownership of the Saints and Pelicans, leaving full ownership to Gayle Benson, his third wife.
His estranged family members argued that he couldn’t remove his daughter and grandchildren because he didn’t have permission from the NFL and the NBA, which they said was required for ownership to change hands.
According to a release on the Saints website, both parties have reached a settlement, but the agreement is confidential.
“Operations for all Tom Benson business properties, including the New Orleans Saints, the New Orleans Pelicans, WVUE-FOX 8, automotive dealerships and Benson Tower remain ‘business as usual,’” the news release said.
Benson and his estranged family were in a highly publicized court battle after the billionaire disowned his daughter and two grandchildren and left Gayle as the recipient of his fortune. The challenged his mental competency in court, but several judges have ruled in favor of Tom Benson.
