Selena's Brother Says He Was Owed 25% of Her Profits. He Is Suing Their Sister

Caption: Selena & Los Dinos in 1988. Credit: Unknown, Public Domain.

Selena Quintanilla’s brother says a family agreement gave him 25% of profits tied to her entertainment legacy. He is now suing their sister, Suzette Quintanilla Arriaga, and family companies for more than $1 million and demanding a decade of financial records, according to court reporting from the San Antonio Express-News and MySA.

The 25% Share at the Center of the Lawsuit

A.B. Quintanilla III filed the lawsuit in Nueces County against Suzette and two Q Productions entities. His petition alleges that an agreement made after Selena’s 1995 death entitled him to a 25% share of profits connected to her estate and entertainment properties.

The lawsuit says those profits were not fully paid to him. That is an allegation, not a court finding, and the amount ultimately owed - if any - has not been determined.

He Wants Records Going Back to 2016

The filing asks for a full accounting of financial records from 2016 to the present. A.B. alleges that Suzette gained functional control over the family business and the management of Selena-related properties during that period.

The requested accounting matters because the dispute is not limited to one payment. It asks the court to examine years of revenue tied to a catalog and public legacy that have continued generating business long after Selena’s death.

More Than $1 Million Is on the Line

A.B. is seeking more than $1 million in damages along with legal costs and a declaration of his rights under the family agreement. The petition includes claims for breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty, according to the Express-News.

MySA reported that Suzette and Q Productions had not yet been formally served when its story was published. The defendants therefore had not filed a court response to the new petition at that point.

The Legacy Now Has a Court Case Attached to It

For decades, Selena’s catalog, image and related businesses have remained under family stewardship. The new lawsuit turns an internal dispute over that legacy into a public accounting fight.

The next question is whether the court finds that A.B. is entitled to the percentage he claims - and what 10 years of records show about the money generated along the way.

References: AB Quintanilla III Officially Files Lawsuit Against Sister Suzette over Selena Estate Profits