Iconic singer-songwriter Jenni Rivera was always known as a family-oriented woman. But 12 years after her passing, her family is far from being on good terms.
The Rivera family has faced various challenges that have strained their relationships over the years, leading to seemingly irreparable rifts.
Since the death of "La Diva de la Banda," her family has been embroiled in legal battles, primarily revolving around Jenni's image and legacy. Tensions escalated in 2023 when Jenni's children—Jacqie, Johnny, Jenicka, and Mikey—filed a lawsuit against their grandfather, Pedro Rivera, and his companies, Cintas Acuario and Ayana Musical.
The lawsuit accused Pedro and Jenni's siblings, Juan and Rosie Rivera, of exploiting Jenni's image for financial gain and committing irregularities with her estate.
Johnny alleged that his grandfather and uncles had appropriated royalties from Jenni's works, claiming they acted as if the profits "belonged more to them than to us."
In response, Juan Rivera countersued his nephews for illegal exploitation, alleging they had produced an album using materials owned by their grandfather's company without permission.
Juan defended his father, stating that while Jenni's children rightfully owned her creations, not everything associated with Jenni's recordings belonged to her estate.
The legal feud expanded to include Chiquis Rivera, Jenni's eldest daughter, who had not been part of the initial inheritance disputes. She was accused of exploiting her mother's image through music.
This led Chiquis to file her own lawsuit, claiming co-authorship of the song 'Abeja Reina' and demanding 25% of its royalties. Additionally, she accused Juan of defamation, alleging he claimed she plagiarized the song.
In October 2024, Pedro Rivera announced a legal victory against his grandchildren, as a judge dismissed 11 claims in their lawsuit. This reduced the $3 million sought by Jacqie for "Jenni Rivera Enterprises" to around $3,000.
@elheraldodemexico Padre de #JenniRivera celebra que le ganó una demanda a sus nietos. #ElHeraldoDeMéxico
♬ sonido original - elheraldodemexico - elheraldodemexico
These disputes have created a deep rift between Jenni's children and their grandparents and uncles, though not all family members are estranged.
Lupillo Rivera and his brothers, Gustavo and Pedro Jr., have remained neutral, maintaining good relationships with their nieces and nephews. Lupillo recently collaborated with Jacqie on a tribute to Jenni. However, even Lupillo has had his conflicts, particularly with Juan, stemming from a 2020 incident during Lupillo's wife's birthday celebration.
Juan later addressed their strained relationship in a heartfelt open letter on social media, expressing mixed emotions and lamenting the loss of the bond they once shared. His sister Rosie supported his sentiments, praising his courage to voice his feelings.
Rosie has also been involved in disputes with Chiquis. Chiquis accused Rosie of demanding money in exchange for stepping down as the head of "Jenni Rivera Enterprises," now led by Jacqie. Johnny even called for an audit of the company during Rosie's management, which angered Rosie and their grandmother, Rosa Rivera, who criticized her grandchildren as irresponsible and unproductive. Chiquis defended her siblings, highlighting their ongoing projects, including Johnny's music and Jenicka's podcast and business ventures.
"Johnny is really a very smart guy who is focused on his music. He's writing the songs and he knows how to play. Jenicka is also working very hard doing her own videos that she edits herself and has her own podcast and business," Chiquis explained.
Chiquis also disclosed longstanding issues with Rosie, claiming her aunt created distance between her and her mother. Despite this, Rosie, Chiquis, and Jacqie united in legal action against Trinidad "Trino" Marín, Jenni's ex-husband, for sexual abuse. Trino's potential early release from prison has sparked further disagreements, with Chiquis advocating forgiveness while Rosie opposes his release.
The family's tensions were also evident during the unveiling of Jenni's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in April 2024. While Jenni's children, mother, and Lupillo attended, they celebrated separately, highlighting the fractures within the family.
Jenni Rivera's family drama is far from the ideal she cherished, a painful reality given how central family was to her life and career.
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