Attorneys for J. Seward Johnson, son of the Johnson & Johnson founder Robert Wood Johnson, executed 22 will changes over the last 12 years of his life, which coincided with the duration of his third and final marriage. His will left his entire estate to his third wife, Barbara Johnson, his former chambermaid, who was 42 years his junior. His six children contested the will, claiming he was mentally incompetent when he signed his last will in 1983. A settlement was reached mid-trial in 1986 between Barbara and the children: She kept $300 million and the children divided $42.5 million. Another $20 million went to charity, $10 million went to the children’s legal fees and $80 million went to pay taxes.
3. Jay Pritzker
Value of estate: $19 billion
Amount Contested: $6 billion
Feuding parties: Niece and nephew and 11 cousins
Barely Old Enough To Sue
Jay Pritzker and his brother Robert built their fortune largely with the Hyatt hotel chain, which they started in 1957. After Jay’s death in 1999, the once close-knit family was consumed by a torrent of anger, greed and betrayal, resulting in a $6 billion lawsuit by his niece Liesel when she was 19. She claimed her father Robert and 11 older cousins had misappropriated money from trusts established for her and her brother. Meanwhile, Jay’s son Tom Pritzker, who was chosen to head up the family businesses, came under fire from many cousins who wondered if more of the family’s money was coming his way than Jay or Robert had intended. Liesel and her brother received $280 million each after a 2005 settlement and were given more control over other trusts valued at about $170 million each. The rest of the $19 billion estate was divided among 11 of their cousins.
2. Howard Hughes