A legal storm is brewing in Pinellas County, Florida, as two estates have taken a significant step against trustees of a family trust. On March 11, 2025, Joseph Deddo and Christopher Noell filed a complaint in the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit against Deborah Cobb and David Scott. The plaintiffs accuse the defendants of breaching their fiduciary duties as trustees of the Mae Noell Trust UTD February 2, 1994.

The case revolves around alleged mismanagement and improper accounting of the Mae Noell Trust. According to the complaint, both Deddo and Noell are personal representatives of their respective estates—Velda Deddo and Robert E. Noell—and are among the remainder beneficiaries of the trust. They claim that Cobb and Scott failed to provide accurate financial disclosures related to the trust’s transactions. The plaintiffs argue that this lack of transparency violates several sections of Florida Statutes governing trusts, including Sections 736.1008 and 736.1001.

The plaintiffs assert that an accounting served by Cobb and Scott on September 12, 2024, was deficient in multiple respects. It allegedly failed to disclose all cash transactions within the trust, listing only property taxes as expenses without detailing income sources or funds used for tax payments. Furthermore, they contend that there were no records supporting a $250,000 loan purportedly repaid by the trust. Additionally, they question why no income or expenses were listed before The Chimp Farm Inc.’s formation—a venture supposedly tied to the trust.

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