Monday, September 6, 2010

Huguette Clark's Family Asks Court to Bar Her Lawyer and Accountant

Relatives of a reclusive 104-year-old copper heiress yesterday asked a court to bar her lawyer and an accountant -- who are being criminally investigated for their actions -- from managing her $500 million fortune.

"The Clark family is extremely concerned by recent reports that raise troubling questions about Huguette Clark's advisers," two Clark nieces and a nephew said after filing a suit in Manhattan that cites Post stories detailing her handlers' curious conduct.

"It appears that the advisers" -- Clark lawyer Wallace Bock and her convicted-felon accountant Irving Kamsler -- "are improperly controlling Ms. Clark's affairs and limiting access to Ms. Clark," said the relatives, Carla Hall Friedman, Ian Devin and Karine McCall.

Their filing said that "unless a guardian is appointed, Ms. Clark is likely to suffer personal and financial harm because she remains at risk of abuse from . . . Bock and Kamsler."

Both men are under investigation by the Manhattan DA for their years of control of her finances, which includes their selling off a $23 million painting and a $6 million Stradivarius violin and allowing $2 million in tax liens to be placed on her real estate.

The relatives want Clark declared incapacitated and want one of them appointed as her personal guardian. They also are asking that Fiduciary Trust Company be named to oversee her property.

Full Article and Source:
104-Year-Old Heiress Huguette Clark Kin Make Legal Bid to Free Her From Duo's Clutches

3 comments:

Connie said...

I think this might be the wrong strategic move. The lawyer and the accountant should be held accountable, for sure, but maybe an investigation by the FBI would be better to do that.

Filing to remove these vultures just tips them off to clean up their books.

Thelma said...

Secrecy must end!

Betty said...

Just because she's 104 years old doesn't automatically mean she's incompetent for crying out loud!