The late rock legend Tina Turner's $250 million estate is now the epicenter of a rising conflict involving her adopted son, Ike Turner Jr., and her widower, music producer Erwin Bach, according to insider sources.
Ike Jr., 64, recently incarcerated following an unusual drug arrest, believes he is entitled to more from Tina's still-sealed will than his late mother bequeathed. He contends that Tina, who died at age 83 after a long struggle with various ailments, including heart and kidney diseases, considered him a son, despite his biological ties to Ike Turner, Tina's first husband, insiders report.
Tina Turner, who passed away on May 24 at her Swiss residence she shared with Bach, 67, was deeply mourned by Ike Jr., who refers to her as "the only mother he's ever known." Mark Bego, the author of "Tina Turner: Break Every Rule," reveals, “The family structure of Ike and Tina was quite complex. Tina brought up her own children, Ike's kids from other relationships, and even her child from another man. Their inclusion in the will remains uncertain."
The iconic "Proud Mary" singer had two biological sons - Craig, who took his own life in 2018, and Ronnie, who passed away from cancer and heart disease five months before her. Ike Jr., fathered by Ike from another relationship, also survives her, as do two grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, most of whom she had little contact with.
Afida, Ronnie's surviving wife, states that Tina's husband Erwin, whom she married in 2013 after a 27-year-long relationship, stands to inherit nearly half of her estimated $250 million estate. However, Afida also reveals that the beneficiaries of the remaining fortune are yet to be determined. Insiders suggest the official will reading will not be made public.
Just weeks prior to Tina's passing, on May 6, Ike Jr. was apprehended in Alvin, Texas, for a traffic violation and was subsequently arrested on charges of crack cocaine possession. He faced a bond set at $70,000.
Ike Jr., who claims Tina raised him from age two and that he worked for her as a sound engineer, recalls a troubled past. “After my parents separated, my father was against me working with her — and he physically abused me,” Ike Jr. recounts.
Mark Bego acknowledges Ike Jr.'s history of abuse, commenting, “Ike Jr. experienced similar physical abuses to those Tina suffered at the hands of Ike. Considering his loyalty to Tina, he firmly believes he is entitled to a significant portion of her estate."