Prince has $15K in unclaimed funds at Minnesota Commerce Department

The late Prince has unclaimed checks waiting for whomever is determined to be his heirs.

May 5, 2016 at 2:45PM

The estate of the musician Prince has been estimated at $100 million-plus.

Add another $15,509.72.

The late Prince Rogers Nelson and his PRN Music have 17 unclaimed "properties" valued at $15,509.72 at the Minnesota Department of Commerce.

It appears that most of the items are royalty payments for use of music within the last two years.
Virtually all of the funds arrived within the past 2 years.

It's likely that businesses sent the sent the checks to Prince's address. For whatever reason, and he was a busy guy who probably wouldn't have missed a few thousand here or there, they were never cashed, according to Commerce. After a certain period, state law requires that businesses transfer such unclaimed money to Commerce to be held in trust for owners or heirs.

"Even Prince, an international superstar, can have unclaimed property," Commissioner Mike Rothman said. "An estimated one in 20 Minnesotans has missing money that is being held for them. In the past five years, we have returned $157 million to Minnesotans. The Commerce Department is committed to reuniting Minnesotans and their heirs with their missing money. I encourage everyone to check the searchable public database on our website."

about the writer

about the writer

Neal St. Anthony

Columnist, reporter

Neal St. Anthony has been a Star Tribune business columnist/reporter since 1984. 

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