As family fight continues, Ben Novack Jr. fortunes shrink
By Julie K. Brown, The Miami Herald | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
Novack's assets, once estimated at as much as
The estate has been the focus of a five-year probate battle involving a legion of family members, long-lost relatives and even one possible illegitimate child. They have been contesting the slain millionaire's 2006 will, which left the bulk of his property, cash, life insurance, Batman collectibles and other valuables to his wife, Narcy.
In 2012,
Novack, a former stripper, married Novack Jr. in 1991. He was the son of
Eventually, Narcy and her brother,
Under Novack's last will, with Narcy out of the picture, her daughter,
At least six other family members have staked a claim to the shrinking inheritance, which, according to the estate's
According to the court file, the items, which were auctioned off, fetched just
Thus far, efforts to revoke Novack's will in
Also appealing the judge's decision is
"Look at it this way. Grandmom is in prison and she tells her grandsons she needs money for legal fees," Morse said. "It's not out of the possibility that the grandsons would help her out."
"We believe that the subsequent wills were signed under duress as a result of Narcy threatening Ben," Winston said.
But
"I can tell you one thing. Ben would not be the type of person to give assets to people he didn't like," said Schuster, who has been doing probate law for 50 years.
He added that Ben had a fondness for Abad's sons.
"He had no children, and he felt good about them,'' he said.
On Monday, Abad told Greene that, despite working two jobs and selling almost everything she owns, she is not able to pay for her son Patrick's heart surgery. She choked back tears as she described how her son has undergone four heart surgeries and needs a fifth. She said she no longer has health insurance and
She said her eldest son dropped out of college to get a job to help her pay for medical expenses.
"Courts like to do the right thing ...," Greene said in placing
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