Daveigh Chase reportedly died with millions of dollars in unclaimed residual payments, according to her former manager, who says the actress was unable to access the money as she struggled with addiction in the years before her death.
Former Manager Reveals Details
Speaking to The California Post, Chase's former manager John Ryan said the actress had accumulated substantial earnings through a unique compensation agreement she signed as a child while voicing Lilo in Disney's animated hit Lilo & Stitch. Ryan said Chase, who was just 8 years old when she landed the role, negotiated a deal that entitled her to a share of merchandise sales, residuals, theme park attractions and other products featuring her voice, rather than receiving only a one-time payment.
According to Ryan, SAG-AFTRA notices continued to arrive at his office over the years, informing him that Chase had residual payments waiting to be claimed. He told The California Post that the total amount was "millions".
Addiction Hindered Access to Funds
The manager alleged that Chase was "too far gone" because of heroin and fentanyl addiction to collect the funds herself, despite repeated attempts by those close to her to reconnect with her and help her seek treatment. Ryan said he and Chase's step-sister, Gaia Brown, hired a private investigator in an effort to locate the former child star. After footage surfaced on social media in late 2025 allegedly showing Chase living in a trailer on Los Angeles' Skid Row, Ryan said he travelled there hoping to get her into treatment, but she had already disappeared.
Cause of Death and GoFundMe Controversy
Chase died in Los Angeles on June 17 after being hospitalised for malnutrition. TMZ reported that meningitis and a blood infection contributed to her death. Ryan also questioned a GoFundMe campaign established by a man claiming to be Chase's boyfriend. "Apparently, a man claiming to be her ‘boyfriend’ that none of us friends or her family has heard of has set up a GoFundMe on ‘her and her families behalf’ that he set her up as the organizer. I can confirm Daveigh has a trust account set up at SAG to cover all costs," he told The California Post.
Ryan added that Chase's next of kin, including her father, could potentially claim the residual earnings following her death.
