Shari Redstone, the daughter of media mogul Sumner Redstone, called a claim by Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman that she would “unlawfully” use his name “ridiculous.”
Shari Redstone and Dauman are battling to be in position to control Sumner Redstone’s $40 billion media empire, which includes Viacom and CBS, after the 92-year-old dies or becomes incapacitated.
On Friday, Redstone removed Dauman as a trustee of his SMR Trust, which will control those media assets after he passes.
Dauman said that he didn’t think Sumner Redstone would remove him and accused Shari Redstone of acting wrongfully. "These steps are invalid and illegal. They are a shameful effort by Shari Redstone to seize control by unlawfully using her ailing father Sumner Redstone's name and signature,” a spokesman for Dauman said.
A statement in reply to Dauman on behalf of Shari Redstone said:
“It is absurd for anyone to accuse Shari of manipulating her father or controlling what goes on in his household. Sumner makes his own decisions regarding whom he wants to see both in his home and elsewhere, and he has his own team of independent advisors to counsel him on corporate and other matters,” the statement said. “As to the idea that Shari, an attorney and respected businesswoman, would ‘unlawfully’ use his name, that is utterly ridiculous.”
