Re: Summer 2013 | Page 27

Sir Peter Ustinov
Von Ustinov claims that his father set up a series of secret lifetime trusts to hand rights and royalties to his children .
Anna-Nicole Smith
Bernard Matthews

Sir Peter Ustinov

Sir Peter Ustinov ’ s fortune is reported to have been all but entirely spent on legal fees after a convoluted court battle . Including a Renoir and a Swiss country mansion , the estate is believed to have been worth tens of millions when the star of Spartacus and Death on the Nile died in 2004 . The case eventually reached the High Court in London in January this year following nine years of litigation in Switzerland .
Said by his daughter Tamara to have “ never wanted to face up to mortality ” the closest Sir Peter came to bequeathing his inheritance was a pencil-written Will in 1968 . This was declared invalid and the actor died intestate at the age of 82 . As a result the entire estate defaulted to his third wife Helene Ustinov , but that was only the start of a strange tale of mysterious trusts , divided step-children and claims of a national conspiracy to cheat wealthy families .
The legal action was driven by Igor Cloutier von Ustinov , Sir Peter ’ s son from his second marriage to Suzanne Cloutier . Von Ustinov claims that his father set up a series of secret lifetime trusts to hand rights and royalties to his children . Framing the legal battle against the tax haven ’ s banks who he said “ screw ” wealthy families , he accused two retired Swiss lawyers of being the only ones who knew the whereabouts of the
trusts . Both strongly deny this .

Von Ustinov claims that his father set up a series of secret lifetime trusts to hand rights and royalties to his children .

Dismissing the claims in the High Court Mrs Justice Proudman said “ The allegation is that a trust must have been set up , but there is no evidence of any actual trust ... Mr von Ustinov can ’ t say who are its beneficiaries and what are its terms . His claim is the most fragile claim imaginable . Nor is there any evidence of any trust governed by English law .”
Despite their apparent frailty these claims have managed to drain away the family fortune . The Swiss case is reported to be ongoing and von Ustinov has admitted to being close to bankruptcy . His half-sister Tamara said “ It ’ s one of those funny situations which arise in families sometimes . I can ’ t begin to imagine what it has cost .”

Anna-Nicole Smith

The Playboy model whose real name was Vickie Lynn Marshall died just 12 years after her octogenarian husband . Her three-year-old daughter Dannielynn Birkhead , or rather the toddler ’ s representatives , lost a battle for the millions that her mother claimed to have inherited from oil magnate J . Howard Marshall . Representatives of Dannielynn and her father Larry Birkhead were locked in a legal battle with Marshall ’ s family , who said the Texan billionaire was senile when , at 89 , he married Smith . Anna Nicole Smith herself had unsuccessfully faced the family in court after Marshall ’ s death in 1995 just a year after their marriage . She claimed he promised her $ 200million , but was left nothing in the Will .

Bernard Matthews

To his family ’ s surprise the Norfolk turkey tycoon left his £ 12million San Tropez mansion to his mistress . His 20-year relationship with Odile Marteyn was revealed after his death in a letter addressed to his estranged wife and children , in which he said “ Odile has supported me unfailingly for many years and particularly so during my recent illnesses .”
Knowing French inheritance law would automatically award his children 75 % of the property he shared with Miss Marteyn , Mr Matthews asked them to give up their rights on the Villa Bolinha . Explaining his decision the man famed for his “ bootiful ” catchphrase said he had considered the financial support he had given his children and the fact that all were very well housed .
Born from a later affair the turkey king ’ s only biological child , Frederick Elgershuizen , inherited most of Mr Matthews ’ English fortune and agreed to give up his rights on the mansion . But the three children the billionaire adopted with his wife Joyce fought for their rights , saying they had no choice as they were left nothing in the Will .
The High Court judge ruled that French law automatically gave the children a right to some of the French property , but rejected their claim that English inheritance tax be paid out of the deceased ’ s estate . As a result Odile Marteyn ’ s inheritance was scaled back to 43.75 % of the villa .
By Becky Piper
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