Trouble With Money For Late Sonny

In January 1998 while skiing, 62-year-old Sonny Bono tragically decided that a large tree looked like a good place to plant his head, at some personal cost. Now in the wake of his unfortunate death, a wannabe Hollywood actor - Sean Machu - is claiming that he is the illegitimate son of Bono, and as such deserves a chunk of the late politico/popster's estate. Early this week, a California judge ruled that the coroner who autopsied Bono must turn over a blood sample so authorities can determine if indeed 35-year-old Machu is Bono's love child. Bono admitted to an affair with Machu's mother in his autobiography, The Beat Goes On. What's more, Machu's birth certificate lists Salvatore Bono (aka Sonny) as the father. Adding insult to the fatal injury, Bono's timeless ex-partner, Cher is also asking for a sum of her late partner's cash. Cher has already filed a claim against his $1.7 million estate seeking back alimony payments. No specific amount was cited in court papers. According to stateside press reports, his widow and successor in Congress, Mary Bono, has already stated that she will not challenge Machu's claim if the DNA matches. Machu has also said that if the genes don't match, he'll not pursue.