'Ridiculous': Cher slammed as royalties settlement talks with Sonny Bono's widow Mary Bono hits dead end

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Efforts to resolve the contentious legal dispute over $1 million in music royalties between Cher and Sonny Bono's widow, Mary Bono, have hit a dead end, RadarOnline.com exclusively revealed.

Court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com indicate that peace negotiations between Cher and Mary Bono failed to yield any agreement in the ongoing legal feud that erupted in 2021. The dispute stemmed from allegations by the 'Believe' singer that she was excluded from royalty payments without her knowledge.

Cher and Sonny Bono's widow fail to reach settlement in royalties battle

In a joint report submitted to California Judge John A Kronstadt, Cher and Mary Bono, who have filed counterclaims against each other, stated that they were unable to reach a settlement. The report, dated March 5, 2024, expressed the lawyers' view that further mediation attempts would be futile.

The legal battle revolves around Cher's accusations that Mary Bono diverted royalties from Sonny and Cher's music catalog, which includes hits like 'I Got You Babe' and 'The Beat Goes On'. Cher, a Grammy winner aged 77, cited a 1978 Marriage Settlement Agreement (MSA) with Sonny that entitles her to a 50-percent share of their music earnings following their separation and divorce.

Previously, both Cher and Mary Bono had a cooperation agreement to evenly split the royalties. However, tensions arose when Cher, reportedly worth $360 million, entered an agreement to sell her music rights to a publishing company named Iconic Cher LLC. Mary Bono argued that this sale terminated Cher's entitlement to the 50-percent share, as the new publishing company would also be benefiting from the royalties.

“Cher should not be entitled to more than what she bargained for in the MSA,” Bono claimed in court documents.

The legal skirmish intensified as both parties filed motions for summary judgments in an attempt to dismiss each other's claims. Following these motions, Judge Kronstadt initiated the peace talks, which ultimately proved fruitless.

Internet abuzz as royalties battle escalates between Cher and Sonny Bono's widow 

The ongoing royalties battle between Cher and Sonny Bono's widow has sparked widespread discussion on the Internet, with users expressing various opinions on the matter.

One user criticized Cher's actions saying, "OMG Cher has so much money that is ridiculous that she’s acting that way."

Another wrote, "Yes ...... And she (CHER) won her lawsuit .... You can't drain blood from a turnip. She will probably never see the money."

However, someone else wrote, "Interesting so she's fighting her son over money and she's fighting her ex-husband's wife over money. Is cher broke." 

"She is worth 380M! cher enjoy the rest of your season and just chalk up the pennies you are going after to the game," yet another user said.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.