Rich Bitch

By Jeffrey Toobin
Issue: Sept 29

Leona Helmsley was not a very nice lady, but she was unceasingly devoted to her husband and her dog, Trouble.

When she died, she left small (and wildly differing) amounts to her grandchildren, but the lion's share of her wealth was left to Trouble in a $12 million trust.

Accountants determined that at the most, $2 million of the trust would be necessary to pay for security, care, and health of the dog. So what to do with the other $10 million? You can't ask Leona, and you can't ask Trouble.

Originally, Leona had made arrangements in her will to donate money to poor kids, but she took that out when she revised it. Instead, the money is going into her charitable trust which provides money to dog-related organizations.

But $2 million for a dog? Pet rights activists are thrilled with the amount and with the precedent this sets for other pet trust cases. Others, like the jilted grandchildren, are probably much less happy with the arrangements. Or how about Professor Jeff MCMahon, who said “To give even two million dollars to a single little dog is like setting the money on fire in front of a group of poor people. To bestow that amount of money is contemptuous of the poor, and that may be one reason she did it."