The Hype

Sonny Bono

Sonny Bono, half of sixties sensation Sonny and Cher, died in 1998 in a skiing accident. He had a colourful life, being first a pop star and later a US congressman, making him the only member of Congress to have scored a #1 pop single on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. After his death his wife Mary Bono took his seat in Congress but the lack of a will meant that his settling his estate was extremely complicated. Add to this claims from one man that he was Bono's illegitimate love child and you had all the ingredients for a classic celebrity drama. His ex-wife Cher also made a claim against the estate, saying that he still owed her money from their divorce. The alleged illegitimate son, Sean Machu, ultimately withdrew his claim.

Photo by Getty Images Jul 31, 2012