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Divorce and feuds

Marriages, divorces, second families and feuds between relatives over a fortune.

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What do the divorce and feuds estate cases show?

A trust amendment that was never delivered to the sitting trustees, as the trust required, gives them grounds to contest it after the person who made the trust dies. When a trust gives a spouse the house and the children the personal property, words such as "jewelry" and "memorabilia" decide who owns each object inside it.

Stories
54
Years
1968 to 2026
Main regions
North America, Europe, East Asia
Legal traditions
Common law, Civil law
Updated
30 October 2026

Every case in divorce and feuds, best-known first

Best-known first: cases from 1900 on, then the United States, then Europe, and the people most read about on English Wikipedia each month. Fiction, scripture and legend come last.

Lisa Marie Presley: Lisa Marie Presley (cropped)2023 · West Hills, Los Angeles, California, USALisa Marie Presley's mother contested her trust, then resigned as trustee in exchange for $1 million and a grave near Elvis at GracelandIn February 2018 Lisa Marie Presley sued her former business manager, Barry Siegel, in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging that her $100 million trust had fallen to $14,000 in cash by 2016; he countersued for $800,000 and blamed…unicourt.com and 10 moreRobin Williams 2011a (2): Happy Feet Two Australian premiere with Robin Williams and George Miller at Entertainment Quarter in Sydney, Australia2014 · Paradise Cay, Tiburon, California, USARobin Williams's widow and three children fought in a San Francisco court over his belongings, and the children got more than 85 watchesRobin Williams died at his home in Paradise Cay, near Tiburon, California, on 11 August 2014, aged 63. His death was ruled a suicide. He had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and the autopsy found diffuse Lewy body dementia.journals.law.harvard.edu and 12 moreMartin Luther King Jr.: Martin Luther King, Jr. and Lyndon Johnson (cropped)1968 · Memphis, Tennessee, USAMartin Luther King Jr.'s estate sued his daughter in 2014 to take his Nobel medal and Bible for sale, and a judge locked both in a bank boxMartin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, on 4 April 1968. He left no will, and his estate passed to his widow, Coretta Scott King, and their 4 children.law.resource.org and 12 moreSonny Bono: Sonny Bono1998 · Heavenly Mountain Resort, South Lake Tahoe, California, USASonny Bono's widow used a 2016 copyright termination notice to stop paying Cher her half of his song royalties, and a federal judge ruled for CherSonny Bono died on 5 January 1998, aged 62, after hitting a tree while skiing at Heavenly Mountain Resort in South Lake Tahoe.CourtListener and 15 moreFred Trump Jr.: Fred Trump Jr. 1966 (cropped)1999 · New Hyde Park, New York, USAFred Trump's grandchildren contested his will in 2000, and Donald Trump and 2 siblings cut off health insurance for them and an ailing babyFred Trump, the father of Donald Trump, died at Long Island Jewish Medical Center on 25 June 1999, aged 93. On 23 March 2000 his grandchildren Mary L.gibsondunn.com and 4 moreRupert Murdoch: Rupert Murdoch - Flickr - Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer2023 · Reno, Nevada, USARupert Murdoch tried to rewrite his family trust so Lachlan would control his companies, and a Nevada commissioner found they acted in bad faithWhen Rupert Murdoch divorced his second wife, Anna Torv, in 1999, she demanded that control of the business be split equally between him and their children, ABC News (Australia) reported on 21 September 2024.washoecourts.com and 8 moreLarry King: Larry King in 2006 (cropped)2021 · Los Angeles, California, USALarry King's handwritten 2019 will left his estate to five children, two of whom died before him, and his estranged wife Shawn contested itLarry King married Shawn Southwick in 1997 and filed for divorce in August 2019.wsbtv.com and 3 moreBarry White: Barry White, Bestanddeelnr 927-0098 (cropped)2003 · Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USABarry White never divorced the wife he separated from in 1988; she became his executor, and 2 of his children later sued her over stopped paymentsBarry White married Glodean James, a singer in his group Love Unlimited, in 1974. They reportedly separated in 1988 but stayed legally married.thegrio.com and 3 moreTed Williams: Ted Williams (cropped)2002 · Inverness, Florida, USATed Williams's will asked for his ashes to be scattered at sea, two of his children had him frozen in Arizona, and an ex-employee said his head was severedTed Williams, the Boston Red Sox hitter, died of cardiac arrest in Inverness, Florida, on 5 July 2002, aged 83.Internet Archive and 14 moreMacKenzie Scott: WASHINGTON - Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services León Rodríguez naturalize 20 new U.2019 · SeattleMacKenzie Scott left her marriage with 4 percent of Amazon and gave Jeff Bezos the votesJeff and MacKenzie Bezos married in 1993 and moved to Seattle, where he founded Amazon in 1994; she was one of its first employees. They announced their divorce in January 2019.Internet Archive and 2 moreAdnan Khashoggi: AdnanKhashoggi06 (cropped)2017 · Los Angeles and LondonArms dealer Adnan Khashoggi's ex-wife won a divorce payment reported near $874 million, then the largest on recordAdnan Khashoggi earned his fortune brokering arms deals between Western companies and Saudi Arabia. He married Sandra Daly, who took the name Soraya, in 1961, and they had five children. They divorced in 1974.findlaw.com and 2 moreAI illustration: A New York divorce courtroom, empty, late 1990s2008 · New York and ParisJocelyn Wildenstein's divorce was reported at $2.5 billion, and the judge barred her from spending alimony on surgeryAlec Wildenstein was heir to the Wildenstein art dealership, one of the richest private art businesses in the world. He married Jocelyn Périsset in 1978.atlantablackstar.com and 2 moreSumner Redstone: Sumner Redstone (cropped)(b)2020 · Los Angeles and BostonSumner Redstone's ex-girlfriend said he was incompetent, the judge disagreed, and his daughter took control of CBS and ViacomSumner Redstone controlled CBS and Viacom through National Amusements, whose voting stock sat in a trust to be run after his death by seven trustees, including Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman.fortune.com and 2 moreBernie Ecclestone: Bernie Ecclestone, São Paulo 2022 (52498924277) (cropped)2009 · London, LiechtensteinBernie Ecclestone put his Formula One shares in his wife's Liechtenstein trust, and the divorce and tax cases followed the trustBernie Ecclestone built Formula One's commercial rights into a business worth billions.hellomagazine.com and 2 moreHarold Hamm: Harold Hamm 2012 Shankbone2012 · Oklahoma CityHarold Hamm's ex-wife refused his $974.8 million check, then cashed it and lost her appeal for moreHarold Hamm founded Continental Resources and became one of the richest men in America during the Bakken shale boom. His wife of 26 years, Sue Ann Arnall, was a lawyer and former Continental executive.NBC News and 2 moreGordon Getty: Gordon and Ann Getty and children at service for J. Paul Getty (cropped) (2)1976 · Los Angeles and HoustonGordon Getty, sole trustee of the family trust, sold Getty Oil to Texaco, and his nieces petitioned to remove himJ. Paul Getty died in 1976. His family's 40 percent of Getty Oil sat in the Sarah C. Getty Trust, founded by his mother, and his son Gordon, a composer, became its sole trustee.FindLaw Caselaw and 3 moreAI illustration: Thoroughbred racehorses on an Ontario training track2018 · Ontario, CanadaMagna founder Frank Stronach sued his daughter and grandchildren over the family's racing empireFrank Stronach founded the auto parts maker Magna International and later The Stronach Group, which owned racetracks including Santa Anita and Pimlico.globalnews.ca and 2 moreElaine Wynn: CIS National Board Chair Elaine Wynn (cropped)2010 · Las VegasElaine Wynn's divorce left her shares voting with her ex-husband's, and she sued Wynn Resorts to break the pactSteve and Elaine Wynn co-founded the businesses that became Wynn Resorts.foxbusiness.com and 2 moreGina Rinehart: Gina Rinehart June 20151992 · Perth and SydneyGina Rinehart's children sued her for control of a $5 billion family trust, and her daughter replaced her as trusteeLang Hancock set up the Hope Margaret Hancock Trust in 1988 for his four grandchildren, holding 23.4 percent of Hancock Prospecting. His daughter Gina Rinehart was trustee.Internet Archive and 2 moreRobert Mondavi: Robert Mondavi (1971) (cropped)2008 · Napa Valley, CaliforniaRobert Mondavi was pushed out of his family's winery after a fight with his brother, sued, and wonCesare and Rosa Mondavi bought the Charles Krug winery in 1943. Their sons Robert and Peter ran it. In 1965 the brothers fought over the business direction, reportedly including a physical fight, and Robert left.winespectator.com and 2 moreAugust Busch III: August Busch III, New York Amsterdam News 1977 11 26 pg44 (cropped)1989 · St. LouisAugust Busch III ousted his father from Anheuser-Busch in a boardroom coup, and 33 years later the family lost the companyGussie Busch ran Anheuser-Busch, founded by his great-grandfather's partner and his grandfather Adolphus, and the St. Louis Cardinals.Google Books and 3 moreAI illustration: A newspaper office on a palm-lined street in Santa Barbara, California1997 · Seattle and Santa BarbaraCraig McCaw's ex-wife took about $460 million, mostly in Nextel stock, and bought a California newspaper with itCraig McCaw built McCaw Cellular and sold it to AT&T in 1994 for about $11.5 billion. He and Wendy McCaw separated in early 1995 after 21 years of marriage, when his fortune was more than $1 billion.The Seattle Times and 2 moreAI illustration: A wedding bouquet on a hospital bedside table in Washington, D.C., 20042004 · Washington, D.C.Dart Group's founder fired his son during his own divorce, then married on his deathbed and cut his children out of his willHerbert Haft founded Dart Drug in Washington and built the Dart Group, which controlled Crown Books, Trak Auto and Total Beverage.Bloomberg and 3 moreAI illustration: A long boardroom table with ballot papers, New York, 20072007 · New York and BostonDow Jones's family owners split over Murdoch's $5 billion offer, and adviser fees helped decide the voteThe Bancroft family controlled Dow Jones and The Wall Street Journal since 1902, holding 64 percent of the shareholder vote through a series of trusts. On May 1, 2007 News Corp. made public a $5 billion offer.CNBC and 2 moreVladimir Potanin: 2021 Vladimir Potanin2014 · Moscow and LondonVladimir Potanin's ex-wife sought billions in Moscow, then moved to London to try again, and the UK Supreme Court stopped her 3 to 2Vladimir Potanin, controlling shareholder of Norilsk Nickel, married Natalia Potanina in 1983. A Russian court dissolved the marriage in 2014.The National Archives, Find Case Law and 1 moreMelinda Gates: DAVOS/SWITZERLAND, 28JAN11 - William H. Gates III (FLTR), Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USA, and Melinda French Gates, Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda 2021 · SeattleMelinda French Gates left the Gates Foundation with $12.5 billion from Bill Gates under their divorce agreementBill and Melinda Gates married in 1994 and co-founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. They announced their divorce in May 2021.nbcwashington.com and 2 moreSteve Cohen (businessman): Steve baseball 4 (1) (cropped)2009 · New YorkSteve Cohen's first wife sued him 19 years after their divorce, alleging he hid $5.5 million, and an appeals court revived the caseSteven Cohen married Patricia Finke in 1979, and they divorced in 1990. Cohen went on to found SAC Capital and become a billionaire.The Wall Street Journal and 2 moreAI illustration: A petrochemical complex on the Taiwan coast2008 · Taipei and BermudaFormosa Plastics' founder died without a will, and his son sued to unwind $15 billion placed in Bermuda trustsWang Yung-ching founded Formosa Plastics and became one of Taiwan's richest men. He died in 2008 in New Jersey, reportedly without a will. Much of his wealth had been moved into Bermuda trusts holding Formosa Plastics shares.Internet Archive and 3 moreVincent Gallo: Vincent Gallo-1-22007 · Modesto, CaliforniaThe Gallo brothers raised their younger brother after their parents' murder-suicide, then sued him for using the family nameOn June 21, 1933, Joseph Gallo Sr. shot his wife Susie and then himself on their California farm. Their sons Ernest and Julio founded E. & J. Gallo Winery that year and became guardians of their 13-year-old brother Joseph.law.resource.org and 2 moreJohn McCain: John McCain official portrait 2009 (3x4 cropped)2004 · Florenceville, New BrunswickThe McCain brothers fought over which nephew would run their french fry empire, and one brother was removedBrothers Harrison and Wallace McCain founded McCain Foods in 1957 and ran it together. In the 1990s they fought over succession: Wallace wanted his son Michael to run the company, and Harrison opposed it.Internet Archive and 2 moreJB Pritzker: JB Pritzker 2026 (less cropped)2002 · ChicagoA 19-year-old Pritzker heir sued her father and 11 cousins for raiding her trusts, and took about $450 millionThe Pritzker fortune, built on Hyatt and Marmon, was held in hundreds of family trusts. After patriarch Jay Pritzker died in 1999, the family agreed to divide the fortune among 11 cousins over about a decade.Internet Archive and 2 moreAI illustration: Orange-and-white rental trucks lined up in a Phoenix, Arizona, lot1999 · Phoenix, Arizona, and Telluride, ColoradoU-Haul's founder lost his company to his sons, a daughter-in-law was shot dead, and a jury awarded his side $1.47 billionL.S. Shoen founded U-Haul in 1945 and gave most of his shares to his 13 children. By 1988 the children had split into two camps.phoenixnewtimes.com and 2 moreAI illustration: Newspaper presses running in Louisville, Kentucky, 19861988 · Louisville, KentuckyThe Binghams sold the Louisville Courier-Journal after a daughter demanded her shares be bought outRobert Worth Bingham bought the Courier-Journal in 1918 with money inherited from his wife, Mary Lily Kenan Flagler. Barry Bingham Sr. served on the Pulitzer Prize board.pulitzer.org and 2 moreStanley Ho: Stanleyho20062020 · Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital, Happy Valley, Hong Kong, Stanley Ho sued 11 defendants, including 2 of his wives and 5 of his children, hours after saying on television he would not sue his familyStanley Ho held a Macau casino monopoly from the early 1960s until 2002. Lanceford, a company he beneficially owned until January 2011, held 31.655% of STDM, the controlling shareholder of SJM Holdings.hkexnews.hk and 15 moreAI illustration: Crated paintings in a Paris art gallery on the Rue La Boétie, 20012001 · ParisDaniel Wildenstein's widow said his sons hid the art fortune in trusts, and France prosecuted the heir for tax fraudDaniel Wildenstein ran the family art dealership until his death in 2001. His widow, Sylvia Roth, was told by his sons Guy and Alec that inheritance taxes would bankrupt her unless she signed away her rights.Artnet News and 2 moreAI illustration: The Supreme Court of Korea in Seoul2015 · SeoulA Korean court ordered SK Group's chairman to pay his ex-wife 1.38 trillion won, and the Supreme Court threw it outChey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, married Roh Soh-yeong, daughter of former president Roh Tae-woo, in 1988. They separated in 2011.BBC and 3 moreAI illustration: The conservatory of a London hotel, a recorder hidden in a plant pot2021 · LondonThe Barclay twins' nephews bugged the Ritz conservatory and recorded their uncle's business talksIdentical twins David and Frederick Barclay built a fortune held through family trusts that owned the Ritz Hotel, the Telegraph newspapers and the Very Group.thecaterer.com and 3 moreAI illustration: A superyacht moored in Dubai, 20162014 · London, Dubai, LiechtensteinA London judge awarded a Russian oligarch's ex-wife £453 million, then found their son had helped hide itFarkhad Akhmedov made his fortune selling his stake in the Russian gas company Northgas. On 15 December 2016 Mr Justice Haddon-Cave ordered him to pay his ex-wife Tatiana Akhmedova £453,576,152, about 41.5 percent of his assets.Courts and Tribunals Judiciary and 3 moreVladimir Putin: Vladimir Putin (2026 02 23) (cropped)2014 · London, New Zealand, France"Putin's banker" put $100 million into New Zealand trusts for his family, and a London judge ruled the trusts were shamsSergei Pugachev founded Mezhprombank and was known in the press as Putin's banker. The bank collapsed in 2010. Its liquidator, the Russian Deposit Insurance Agency, claimed 76.6 billion roubles, over $1 billion, from him.The National Archives, Find Case Law and 2 moreAI illustration: A Mayfair office building at night, London, 20142014 · LondonHedge fund manager Chris Hohn was ordered to pay his ex-wife about $530 million, and the judge called him a financial geniusChris Hohn founded The Children's Investment Fund and, with his wife Jamie Cooper, the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, one of Britain's largest charities.Courts and Tribunals Judiciary and 2 moreAI illustration: A row of London townhouses held by companies, 20132013 · LondonAn oil trader hid London houses inside his companies, and the UK Supreme Court ordered them handed to his ex-wifeMichael Prest owned and controlled the Petrodel Group of companies. Two of the companies held legal title to seven residential properties in the UK, including the family home.The National Archives, Find Case Law and 2 moreAI illustration: A signed prenuptial agreement on a table in the UK Supreme Court, 20102010 · LondonA German paper heiress's prenup held in London, and her French ex-husband's £5.85 million award was cut to £1 millionKatrin Radmacher, heir to a German paper-industry fortune reported at about £100 million, married Nicolas Granatino, a French banker, in London in 1998.lawgazette.co.uk and 2 moreAI illustration: The lakefront and the Jet d'Eau in Geneva, 20082008 · Geneva, Cyprus, MonacoA Geneva court ordered a Russian fertilizer billionaire to pay his ex-wife 4 billion francs, then an appeal court cut it by 86 percentDmitry Rybolovlev made his fortune from the potash producer Uralkali. In 2005, while still married to Elena Rybolovleva, he moved much of his money into Cyprus trusts that did not name her as a beneficiary.swissinfo.ch and 3 moreAI illustration: JK House, the Singhania family tower in Mumbai2026 · MumbaiRaymond's founder gave his son his 37 percent stake and says he was then pushed out of the family towerVijaypat Singhania built Raymond into India's best-known suiting brand. In 2015 he handed his 37 percent controlling stake to his son Gautam Singhania.gulfnews.com and 2 moreAI illustration: Lotte World Tower above the Seoul skyline2020 · Tokyo and SeoulLotte's 93-year-old founder fired his younger son, the shareholders kept the son, and a court put the father under guardianshipShin Kyuk-ho founded Lotte in Japan and built it into a conglomerate controlled through Tokyo-based Lotte Holdings. His elder son, Shin Dong-joo, ran the Japanese side; his younger son, Shin Dong-bin, ran Korea.The Korea Herald and 2 moreAI illustration: Airliners at Incheon International Airport, 20192019 · SeoulKorean Air's "nut rage" heiress joined an activist fund to oust her brother, and lost the shareholder voteCho Yang-ho, chairman of Hanjin Group and Korean Air, died in 2019, and his son Cho Won-tae became chairman.The Korea Times and 2 moreAI illustration: The International Commerce Centre tower above Hong Kong harbour at night2018 · Hong KongSun Hung Kai's chairman was removed by his mother and brothers, who said he was mentally ill, and cut from the family trustKwok Tak-seng founded Sun Hung Kai Properties and left control in a family trust. His eldest son Walter Kwok became chairman, with brothers Thomas and Raymond as vice-chairmen.familybusinessmagazine.com and 2 moreAI illustration: A pharmaceutical factory in Punjab, India, 20162016 · New Delhi and SingaporeThe Ranbaxy brothers sold their drug company for billions, owed the buyer Rs 3,500 crore, and were arrested over their lenderMalvinder and Shivinder Singh inherited control of Ranbaxy, India's largest drugmaker, and sold it to Japan's Daiichi Sankyo in 2008.scroll.in and 2 moreAI illustration: The Seoul Central District Court, 20132015 · SeoulSamsung's founder's eldest son sued his brother Lee Kun-hee for 4.1 trillion won in shares and lostLee Byung-chul, founder of Samsung, passed over his eldest son Lee Maeng-hee and chose his third son, Lee Kun-hee, to lead the group.The Korea Times and 2 moreAI illustration: A furniture showroom in Tokyo, 20152015 · TokyoA Japanese furniture founder fired his daughter, she beat him in a proxy fight, and the company was soldKatsuhisa Otsuka founded Otsuka Kagu, a furniture retailer selling high-end furniture through large showrooms with sales staff. His daughter Kumiko Otsuka became president in 2009 and wanted a more open, lower-cost model.amt-law.com and 2 moreAI illustration: A Seoul boardroom with an empty chairman's chair, 20092009 · Seoul, South KoreaA Doosan heir exposed his brothers' slush fund to win the chairmanship, was cast out of the family, and died by suicideDoosan Group was run in turn by the sons of its founding family. In July 2005 the eldest brother, honorary chairman Park Yong-kon, named Park Yong-sung as the next group chairman.Korea JoongAng Daily and 2 moreAI illustration: The courthouse in George Town, Grand Cayman2009 · Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia; Cayman IslandsA Saudi trading family accused its son-in-law of a $9 billion fraud, and a Cayman judge found the family had authorized himAhmad Hamad Al Gosaibi & Brothers (AHAB) was one of Saudi Arabia's oldest trading houses. Maan al-Sanea, who married into the Al Gosaibi family, ran its financial services division and built his own Saad Group.caymancompass.com and 3 moreAI illustration: An airliner and a stack of tyres split by a line down the middle, Seoul, 20092009 · SeoulKumho's board fired one founding brother, the group split in two, and the brothers sued each other for yearsKumho Asiana Group was run under a joint management arrangement among the sons of its founder.Korea JoongAng Daily and 2 moreAI illustration: A corporate headquarters tower in Seoul, 20032001 · Seoul, South KoreaHyundai's founder split his empire between feuding sons, and the heir he chose jumped from his office during a corruption probeChung Ju-yung built Hyundai into South Korea's largest conglomerate. In 2000 two of his sons, co-chairmen Chung Mong-koo and Chung Mong-hun, fought over succession in what the Korean press called the Battle of the Princes.Korea JoongAng Daily and 2 more