Astor Verdict Leaves Fate of Charity Bequests Unresolved
October 9, 2009 | Read Time: 1 minute
The fate of the late Brooke Astor’s $180-million estate, and of charitable bequests in the tens of millions of dollars, remains cloudy following Thursday’s conviction of her son on fraud charges, The New York Times reports.
After a 19-week trial, a Manhattan jury found Anthony D. Marshall guilty of defrauding his mother, a philanthropist and society grande dame who died in 2007 at the age of 105.
A key issue was whether Mr. Marshall took advantage of Ms. Astor’s deteriorating mental state to secure changes in her will, boosting his control of her money and reducing bequests to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New York Public Library, and other organizations she had long supported.
The battle now moves to Westchester County Surrogate’s Court, which, barring a settlement, will determine which version of Ms. Astor’s will is enforced.
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