Tenisha Warner, the widow of Malcolm-Jamal Warner, has filed a lawsuit against his mother, Pamela Warner, seeking over $1.2 million from the family trust.
The lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, alleges that Malcolm failed to honor financial commitments made in a prenuptial agreement signed in May 2022, days before their marriage.
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According to the suit, Malcolm agreed to maintain a $1 million life insurance policy naming Tenisha as the sole beneficiary, but she claims he never purchased or maintained it.
Tenisha also alleges Malcolm did not make annual tax-free payments of $16,000, fund a Roth IRA for her, or pay her a $5,000 monthly salary for serving as his chief of staff and assistant during the marriage.
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The unpaid obligations total at least $1,276,042.46, including $1 million for the life insurance policy, over $50,000 in anniversary payments, $30,500 for the IRA, and $195,000 in unpaid salary.
Tenisha believes Malcolm's estate lacks sufficient assets to cover the debt, so she is asking the court to allow recovery from the Warner Family Trust, now managed by Pamela.
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She is also seeking interest, attorney's fees, and an order preventing Pamela from distributing any trust assets while the case is ongoing.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on 'The Cosby Show,' died at age 54 while vacationing in Costa Rica on July 20, 2025.
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Tenisha filed the lawsuit exactly one year after his death.
