The death of Zhanna Friske in 2015, at the age of 40, not only marked the end of a bright career but also ignited a bitter conflict among her loved ones that continues to this day. The singer’s passing triggered disputes over her estate, finances, and, most poignantly, access to her son, Platon.

Dmitry Shepelev, Friske’s common-law husband, became the central figure in the family drama. After Friske’s death, Shepelev took on the responsibility of raising their son, Platon, but he significantly restricted contact between the boy and Friske’s parents and sister. Shepelev claimed his actions were motivated by a desire to protect his son, fearing that Friske’s parents wanted to take Platon away from him.

The conflict escalated with accusations of financial mismanagement. A significant sum of money, 21 million rubles, raised through public donations for Friske’s cancer treatment, went missing. Friske’s parents accused Shepelev of misappropriating the funds, while he hinted at the opposite, leading to a court battle. It was later revealed that Friske’s mother had withdrawn the funds during the singer’s lifetime.

The family’s relationships further strained as they took their pain and accusations public, engaging in heated exchanges and airing their grievances in interviews. The courts ruled that Friske’s parents could only spend a limited amount of time with their grandson, Platon. Friske’s father alleged that Shepelev was hiding Platon from them and had squandered the money left to his son.

Despite the passage of time, the wounds remain open. Friske’s father expresses his inability to forgive Shepelev for allegedly isolating Zhanna in her final days and for restricting access to Platon. While Friske’s relatives hope that Platon will eventually seek a relationship with them, they are now focusing their attention on Zhanna’s sister Natalia’s daughter, Luna. Natalia Friske, who was very close to Zhanna, still deeply mourns her sister’s death.