This charitable work, Frankel believes, could change Helmsleys public perception, putting the queen of mean image behind as the public embraces the philanthropic work done in her name. Nathan Guttman, staff writer, was the Forwards Washington bureau chief. Borough President, Bruno Is Upset by Ex-Aides Ties to Spitzer. All the money in the world didnt make her a happy person, and in the end, she still ended up just as dead as the poorest pauper. My properties are my children, he would say. Helmsley was born Lena Rosenthal to Jewish parents who emigrated from Poland and settled in New York. It is becoming routine for dogs to receive cash and real estate in the form of trusts, and there is already at least one major foundation devoted to helping dogs. Leaving $12 million to her dog? They also discussed honoring the legacy of their cast . (Leonas estate was so large because Harry left his fortune to her.) A sad end to a life, but even Mrs. Astor, who was almost universally beloved, wasnt protected enough in her old age to avoid apparently being mistreated. ", "The question is whether this is what Leona really wanted," said Herb Nass, a trust and estates attorney who has written about Helmsley's will. WE are told and taught by our system of government this is democracy,with freedom and opportunity for all. Walter Panzirer is a theologian, police officer, paramedic, firefighter, trustee, husband, and father. She seemed bitter right to the very end. In the final years of her life, Leona appears to have given considerable thought to the trust, and to have reordered her priorities in a dog-focussed way. Leona had one child, Jay Panzirer, who died, of a heart ailment, in 1982, at the age of forty. records, tapes, papers and financial information of or relating to Leona must be given to the estates lawyers. Much of her estimated $4 billion fortune is tied up in Helmsley Enterprises, which will be controlled by five people, Walter and David Panzirer, Rosenthal, Helmsleys lawyer and a Helmsley adviser, the New York Post reported. Helmsley died at 87 on Aug. 20, 2007, and was interred next to her husband, Harry, in a family mausoleum in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Westchester. chosen as an animal lover to do. While excluding those grandchildren, the billionaire hotel magnate did bequeath $10 million each to her two other grandkids, David and Walter Panzirer - half of which is contingent on them making. Mrs. Helmsley, who was buried in her familys mausoleum at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, specified that the mausoleum be acid washed or steam cleaned at least once a year., The will states, I also direct that anything bearing the HELMSLEY name must be maintained in mint condition and in the manner that it has been accustomed to, maintaining the outstanding Helmsley But fate led to a higher calling; a calling that has impacted the lives of nearly everyone in South Dakota. The foursome also won a reduction of a whopping $12 million set aside for the tycoons dog Trouble. See our full guidelines for more information, and this guide for detail about canonical URLs. In particular, she came to despise Jays widow, Mimi, his third wife, for reasons that Mimi later said she never understood. By signing up, you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement. Harry, born in 1909 and raised in the Bronx, was sixteen when he joined a small Manhattan real-estate firm as an office boy for twelve dollars a week, and soon worked his way into a partnership. (While Harry was alive, she held an annual ball to celebrate his birthday, known as the Im Just Wild About Harry party.) She now omitted the second purposemedical care for the indigent, especially childrenand left only the purpose of caring for dogs and the catch-all third category. A mission statement is really just guidance to the trustees, Victoria Bjorklund, of Simpson Thacher, said. Uri Dromi, director general of the Jerusalem Press Club and a contributing editor to the Forward, received from the Helmsley Trust the lions share of the funds he needed to launch his program. The will stated that custody of Trouble should go to Rosenthal, Leonas brother, or to her grandson David, and the trust agreement directed them to provide for the care, welfare and comfort of Trouble at the highest standard. But neither man wanted the dog. But to give such a large sum of money to dogs generally is not frivolous, McMahan went on. The two outcasts are among the four children born to Helmsley's only son, Jay Panzirer, who died in 1982. I dont know, maybe Im off the mark here to some of you, but I just really, really dont understand it. She evicted tenants from their homes, kicked her own daughter-in-law out after her sons death and became notorious for her outbursts at workers and colleagues. When David Panzirer was named a Trustee of the Helmsley Charitable Trust thirteen years ago, he knew little about being a philanthropist. Give me a break, I am from Australia and have just read about Mrs Helmsley. Helmsley's will states that the executors should not receive commissions but are entitled to "reasonable compensation. Its disgraced by the context, but the two bequests should be separately evaluated., Throughout her life, Leona Helmsley demonstrated not just a lack of affection for her fellow-humans but an absence of understanding as well. You know that person was extremely attached to her animals, but, at the end of the day, the trustees have made sure that very little has gone from that estate to animals. Its sole interest, he said, is in providing a first-hand experience of Israel. It drives so much personal animus and public policy (not to mention NY Times editorials), yet it is seldom discussed. She wouldnt settle for skimpy towels, the ads proclaimedWhy should you?. The Duffields have endowed the foundation with more than three hundred million dollars and made grants of more than seventy-one million dollars. Walter joins us today to discuss his decision. Leona was eventually convicted on 33 felony counts of fraud, including mail fraud, tax evasion and filing false tax returns. After her husband died, Leona Helmsley got a dog named Trouble, a Maltese bitch. The will states, I have not made any provisions in this Will for my grandson CRAIG PANZIRER or my granddaughter MEEGAN PANZIRER for reasons which There, the foundation is being courted by universities, hospitals and civic organizations. The way Leona altered her mission statement places the issue in especially stark terms. On March 1, 2004, she signed a new mission statement that revoked the previous one, and made one significant change. Its role, if only posthumously, is giving the hotel queen a seat at the table of Israels mega-donors. She was aware of her Judaism, said Frankel, but she was not observant and was not involved in Jewish causes. I am on here anonymously besides my first name so I will say this, otherwise I wouldnt, but my husband and I will give our last $20 The will hints at the tense relationship between her and her only descendants. Mrs. Helmsley set aside $12 million to a trust for the care of her beloved 8-year-old white Maltese, Trouble. In a 1997 decision, the surrogate of Nassau County agreed and appointed a guardian to administer the trust for the benefit of the chimps. The will calls for Trouble to be entombed alongside Helmsley and husband Harry Helmsley, who died in 1997, in their $1.4 million mausoleum, for which Leona Helmsley set aside $3 million for upkeep including annual cleanings. To answer this question, the trustees sought an affidavit from Dr. E. F. Thomas, Jr., Troubles veterinarian. And there is a general-purposes clause that says the trustees can use the funds for anything that would be charitable. This was a woman, after all, who at her trial was quoted as saying about a contractor who was owed thirteen thousand dollars for installing a custom-made barbecue pit at the Helmsley estate and wanted to be paid because he had six children, Why doesnt he keep his pants on? To make her intentions clear for the trust, she signed two mission statements, which have not previously been made public. On September 16, 2003, Leona signed a document that listed three goals for the planned expenditures. 730 15th Street NW, 5th FloorWashington, DC 20005. Toby Rimes, a New York dog, is said to have inherited about eighty million dollars, and Kalu, a pet chimpanzee in Australia, may have received a bequest of a hundred and nine million dollars. Helmsleys lawyer while she was alive, Frankel is today using his position as one of the trusts four trustees to steer its interests toward Israel, long one of his own personal passions. (A widely reported story that a German dog named Gunther IV inherited more than a hundred million dollars appears to be a hoax.). They are probably all rich anyway. Trouble, a white Maltese, will be cared for by Helmsleys brother Alvin Rosenthal, who was left $10 million. He died Jan. 2, and his wife, Susan, replaced him as an executor. It feels fitting that Helmsleys estate has been fraught with controversy. According to Hoffman, however, Doris Duke is a good example of how a testators intent has been thwarted. The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.Read the press release here. One philosopher draws a distinction between the needs of Trouble and those of dogs as a whole. After the will was made public, Trouble received death threats, which may have had something to do with their refusal. Leona Helmsley bequeathed all her estate to the trust, except for the $12 million that went to her now deceased dog. are known to them.. (If there is any leftover money in Troubles trust following her demise, it goes to the Helmsley charitable trust. If you judge animal need against human need, human need is going to win most of the time, because we are human. Soungs like the beginning of a horror movie to me. Having worked as a first responder in both states, Walter witnessed personally the significant disparities in quality health care available close to home - disparities that demanded attention. Metropolitan Diary continues to publish! In her will, Duke spoke of her interest in the prevention of cruelty to children or to animals and in promoting anti-vivisectionism. (Dukes pets included two camels and a leopard, as well as several dogs.) Upon her release, she was sentenced to community service which, allegedly, her employees performed for her adding to her reputation as selfish and out of touch. With most of Helmsleys property already sold, the trust has reached its full size and is expected to maintain the current level of grant-making for the foreseeable future. My dogs are my children and so Ive left a generous trust for each. Lekic estimated annual security costs for the dog of a hundred thousand dollars, grooming costs of eight thousand dollars, food costs of twelve hundred dollars, and veterinary care of up to eighteen thousand dollars. Is it right to give so much money to a dogor to dogs generally? Serving as a paramedic, firefighter, and . Its not like she didnt leave most of the fortune to Charity. entitled to someone elses wealth or possessions in life or death. In her will, which she signed two years before her death, Helmsley put aside twelve million dollars in a trust to care for Trouble. Heirs to an iconic fortunesought out a wealth manager who would assuage their progressive consciences. Electrified by outrageand elevated by a gifted ghostwriterhis blockbuster memoir Spare exposes more than Harrys enemies. Frankels personal passion for Israel was never shared by Helmsley. At the end of the day, she left an extraordinary financial legacy for the public good, and hopefully people will recognize that, he said. He passed away Thursday, April 27, 2023. She was married three times, but generally acknowledged having had only two husbands. Only the little people pay taxes. The trial followed a lengthy investigation by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) into the Helmsleys finances. That trust was then respected by the State of Washington, where Washoe lived, Bjorklund said. The specific nature of Leonas gift appears consistent with the pervasive misanthropy of her life and her will. Lena Rosenthal, in contrast, was a raucous, disputatious presence seemingly from birth. The money was to go first to the provision of care for dogs. The second was more conventional: the provision of medical and health care services for indigent people, with emphasis on providing care to children. A third category covered such other charitable activities as the Trustee shall determine. About six months later, however, Helmsley changed her mind. The transfer of this kind of obsessive affection from Harry to Trouble seems apparent. You must credit the Forward, retain our pixel and preserve our canonical link in Google search. But while many others set strict goals for their family charitable trusts, Helmsley made no stipulation regarding use of her money. If the will doesnt specify that, those are things a court may have to decide.. So they dont have to use the money only for the care of dogs, but she is certainly indicating that its a priority. The trust is not yet operating or making grants, and people familiar with the work of the trustees say that they are still trying to figure out what to do. And in recent years executors of the estate have been selling off all her assets hotels, buildings and even the landmark Empire State Building and channeling all proceeds to the trust. Under the judge's decision, each executor Helmsley's grandsons David and Walter Panzirer, her brother Alvin Rosenthal, her lawyer Sandor Frankel, and her friend John Codey were required to post a $10,000 bond against the advance in case some of it must be returned. What I wouldnt give to win a billion dollars The sum is actually modest, claim the quartet Helmsleys grandsons, David and Walter Panzirer, lawyer Sandor Frankel and close pal John Codey in the Manhattan Surrogates Court petition filed earlier this week. But stories of how she treated others haunted Helmsley. Few people have a reputation for greed like Leona Helmsley. There came a time when he was going to be sent off to be used in medical testing, and there was a lot of distress about that possibility. So Bjorklund and others set up a trust (funded with the proceeds of a book about Washoe), and appointed a guardian to protect him and several other chimps like him. Many people wanted to make provisions for the care of their pets in their wills, but the law allowed no simple mechanism to do so. Frances Carlisle, a New York trusts-and-estates lawyer and a member of the committee, pushed the New York State Legislature to allow the creation of pet trusts, which permit individuals to put aside money and instructions for their pets. His grandmother was none other than Leona Helmsley, the well-known real estate mogul whose ultimate legacy still is being shaped through the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. Walter Panzirer, is a grandson of Leona Helmsley. The twelve-million-dollar trust for Trouble also created problems. Based on the figures in court files, that trust may turn out to be worth nearly eight billion dollars, which would make it one of the top ten or so foundations in the United States. Tall, stooped, a workaholic before the term was invented, Helmsley started buying buildings that were, in a way, a reflection of himselfdrab but profitable. Under the law, certainly, it was Helmsleys right to divvy up her money any way she wanted. I guess its to try to foster some post-mortem respect for her deceased son; she felt this was important to her., Mrs. Helmsley specifically excluded two grandchildren, however. In her hometown of New York she was known as the queen of mean, notoriously mistreating her employees, tenants and even family members. If DAVID Helmsley died in 2007, creating one last scandal with the generous trust fund she set up for her dog, who died four years later. The publicity now associated with the Helmsley name stands in stark contrast to the popular image of Leona Helmsley, whose life story was spread out on the covers of tabloids and in court documents. What this means for how the trust will operate is far from clear. New York approved the changes, and now thirty-eight states allow for the creation of such trusts. Leona had contentious relationships with almost everybody (except Harry). Find us onApple,Spotify, andGoogle Play. Walter Panzirer was inducted into the South Dakota in 2020. They got it down to to $2 million, with the rest going to charity. The will also made Trouble one rich bitch. Philanthropist David Panzirer is a father and trustee for the Helmsley Charitable Trust, which has . worth of visits completed. Walter Panzirer, Pierre - impacting the lives of nearly every South Dakotan through philanthropy. Duration: 21m 12s. The men would split the nine-figure payout equally, the petition states. Now she is becoming a pro-Israel hero. In the light of her medical issues, and the patterns of Maltese generally, Thomas estimated that Trouble was likely to live only three to five more years. David Yost, Walter Emmanuel Jones. Ms. Paul will assume the role on November 1, 2021, succeeding Stephanie Cuskley who has led the organization since 2015. A few relatives managed to stay on Helmslely's good side. In fact, the clear motivation underlying Leona Helmsleys willher desire to pass her wealth on to dogsis more common than might be expected. Were happy to make this story available to republish for free, unless it originated with JTA, Haaretz or another publication (as indicated on the article) and as long as you follow our guidelines. She treated her like a person, and took her everywhere. reputation.. A smaller share of the trusts giving to Israel goes to improving the countrys image in the world. The image of the former hotelier and socialite, known as the Queen of Mean, was forever cemented in popular culture when, during her tax evasion trial, a former employee testified that Helmsley said: We dont pay taxes. Whatever their opinions might be of Mrs. Helmsley, good, bad or indifferent, will become irrelevant and what will be relevant are the things that the trust is doing for mankind and particularly in Israel, said Sandor Sandy Frankel, one of the Helmsley Trusts key trustees. After five years of rancorous litigation, Leona won about two-thirds of the two hundred and thirty-one thousand dollars at issue. In 1989, Helmsley was charged with numerous counts of tax evasion and fraud for trying to bill work done on her private mansion as a business expense. Frankel, in fact, is the key to understanding the Helmsley Trusts interest in Israel. The $100 million is the charge for services performed by David and Walter Panzirer (yes, the grandchildren who each inherited $10 million); Helmsleys former lawyer, Sandor Frankel; and Helmsleys former business advisor, John Codey. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. As a guardian for Trouble, the trustees settled on Carl Lekic, who is the general manager of the Helmsley Sandcastle Hotel, in Sarasota, Florida. He is a graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. It was what she did with people., For all Helmsleys love of Trouble, her will certainly made life complicated for the dog. Copyright 2023 The Forward Association, Inc. All rights reserved. In a world where there is starvation and poverty, you can say that its wrong to give money to universities, or museums, or, worst of all, to divide it up for your children and heirs who are already rich. Other proceeds from the sale of her estate are destined for a charitable trust. According to a mission statement, which Helmsley signed on March 1, 2004, the trust was to make expenditures for purposes related to the provision of care for dogs. The size of the bequests, to Trouble and to dogs generally, has generated widespread astonishment. The men pat themselves on the back for quickly settling a potentially costly legal battle by two of Helmsleys grandchildren whom she specifically disinherited for reasons which are known to them in her 2005 will. The sale of Helmsleys controlling interest in the iconic skyscraper brought $700 million to estate coffers. Natalie Schafer, the actress who played Lovey, the millionaires wife, on Gilligans Island, is said to have left her estate for the care of her dog. prevarication. (Jay was buried in the family mausoleum, alongside Harry and Leona.) Helmsley's estate has four executors: two grandchildren from her first marriage, David and Walter Panzirer, her lawyer, Sandor Frankel and her business advisor, John Codey. In a few weeks, he can add a member of the South Dakota Hall of Fame as he is being virtually inducted on September 12. The trusts guiding principle is to use its enormous size to give fewer but more significant grants rather than making many small gifts. But the focus of news coverage today in The Daily News and The New York Post has been, of course, the juicier provisions of Mrs. Helmsleys will. What is funny about giving all this money to one dog is that it doesnt deal with the fact that the dog is going to be sad that Leona died, Elizabeth Harman, who teaches philosophy at Princeton, said. During the next several years, the Helmsleys filed no fewer than six lawsuits against Mimi, asserting that they were entitled to the money in Jays estate, a distinctly modest sum compared with their own fortune. We are committed to making New York no-kill, one community at a time, she told me, using the movements term for eliminating euthanasia as a means of population control for any kind of animal. Facebook. According to the funds Web site, The Foundation makes good on a promise the Duffields made to their beloved Miniature Schnauzer, Maddie, to give back to her kind in dollars that which Maddie gave to them in companionship and love.. The modern history of legal rights for animals begins with a chimpanzee named Washoe. A tough billionaire businesswoman who famously chose to leave a chunk of her fortune to her Maltese dog, Trouble, Helmsley was never actively involved in the Jewish community. He was the first signing chimp, the first chimpanzee who learned sign language to communicate with people, Victoria Bjorklund, the head of the exempt-organizations practice at the New York law firm of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, said. Two major stars from the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series made their return for the 30th Anniversary special with Netflix, and David Yost and Walter . While some of these organizations, such as the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs or the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, are known for their hawkish views on Israel, Frankel insists the trust is apolitical. On the whole, the will reflects contempt for humanity as much as love of dogs. The estate was initially valued at $4.8 billion, but the executors who waited out the financial crises and housing collapse before selling off prime real estate were able to earn an additional $600 million for charity, the petition says. Even pro-animal-rights scholars, like Peter Singer, a professor at Princeton, recognize the difficulties. She also left $5 million to each of them outright, and $100,000 to her chauffeur, They are already making plans for the Helmsleys billions. Its left to individual decision-making. Leona Helmsley died in 2007, leaving the bulk of her multi-billion dollar fortune to a charitable trustafter carving out a nice little chunk ($12 million) for her dog, Trouble; the latter amount was eventually reduced by a court after a challenge by the Helmsley family. The trustees agreed to pay him five thousand dollars a month to take care of Trouble. What would make this dog happy is for a loving family to take it in. It can only lead to discontent an inheritance than to be treated like a slave to get some money. The idea, Frankel said, is to bring people to see Israel with their own eyes, thus overcoming what he views as the medias damming portrayal of the country. Walter Panzirer is a theologian, police officer, paramedic, firefighter, trustee, husband, and father. The CEO Series is sponsored by MarketBeat. (Both men declined to comment.) The legal movement, which largely focussed on pets, was, of course, symbiotically aligned with the broader animal-rights movement, which also grew in the nineteen-nineties. Todays billionaires have access to enough money to gratify any whimSome may call it scandelous. really , really scandelous. You can also receive it via email. (The documents are available at newyorker.com.) Walter Panzirer, is a grandson of Leona Helmsley. Jodi Schwan sits down with Walter Panzirer, a trustee of the Leona M. . Why does the Attorney General even have a say? According to his affidavit in the case, Lekic had known Trouble since she was born, because Leona spent several months a year, late in life, at the hotel. When reviewing accounts, the Attorney General may challenge fees it finds excessive in order to maximize the amounts to be paid out to charity. Send questions or suggestions Ill make my own money and Im sure that her grandchildren dont regret missing out on the money. The New York lawyer recalled talking to the billionaire businesswoman about Israel at times and offering to take her on a visit with his wife, who was born there, but Helmsley showed no interest. David Panzirer Helps Us #SmashDiabetes. in the lottery or something and be able to help other people with that money. Leona had never had a dog before she got Trouble, Elaine Silverstein, a co-founder of the Miami agency that created the queen advertisements for the Helmsley hotels, told me. Since 1976, Metropolitan Diary has been a place for New Yorkers, past and present, to share odd fleeting moments in the city. She served a total of 21 months at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury (the same facility that housed Lauryn Hill and Teresa Giudice). short summary: We had a wide-ranging interview with two of the pioneers of the Helmsley Charitable Trust's (HCT) Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) program (which gives $50 million a year to type 1 research, treatment and services): HCT trustee David Panzirer and patient advocate Dana Ball. Copyright 2009-2018, DNAinfo. 'Mighty Morphin' stars David Yost and Walter Jones reveal how the iconic TV show evolves after 30 years, and reveal that they may not be done with 'Power Rangers.'