The estranged husband of an Upper West Side wealth manager who was found strangled to death on New Year's Eve 2009 has never been formally charged in her death—but he has now been hit with a wrongful-death suit by her estate. Roderick Covlin, a former trader who founded the U.S. Backgammon Federation, has been accused in the suit of murdering Shele Danishefsky Covlin. Public Administrator Ethel Griffin, who handles estate complications, alleges Covlin “intentionally, deliberately, willfully, wantonly, maliciously, brutally and without provocation or just cause did strangle, choke, strike, injure, assault, abuse, beat and murder” his wife. more ›

Last year Rue McClanahan died in New York at the age of 76, leaving Betty White as the last remaining Golden Girl, and now items from her estate are being sold off at auction. Life is depressing. more ›

Even in the immediate aftermath of James Brown's death in 2006, there were signs that there would be problems settling his accounts between his children and his estate. Now it's four-plus years later, and the fight has gotten messy. Thankfully, Brown's good friend, the Reverend Al Sharpton, has firmly inserted himself into the proceedings, making everything less much more complicated. more ›

In 2007, CBGB founder Hilly Kristal died, which set off a fight for his money, and for the CBGB name. Now the Wall Street Journal reports that a bankruptcy judge ruled that the late Kristal’s estate is the rightful owner of the club’s assets, including its name. more ›

In the market for an arch? Who isn't. And now the historic Seaman-Drake arch at 5035 Broadway in Inwood is for rent. The Manhattan Times reports that the marble arch has been partially buried behind storefronts, but it was once the gateway to a hilltop estate owned by the well-to-do Seaman then Drake families in the 19th Century. The Inwood Journal provides some more history: more ›

With Anthony Marshall found guilty of looting the $200 million estate of his mother—the late philanthopist Brooke Astor—the tabloids are reveling in the drama of it all. Heck, the Post goes for the gusto with the headline "Tony's Miss Piggy skewered in Astor verdict," referring to Marshall's wife Charlene. more ›

Wherever Leona Helmsley is now, we imagine she's throwing a fit. Even though the late, famously mean hotelier's will had a two-page mission statement outlining that her $5-8 billion estate go to the care and welfare of dogs, a judge ruled in February that the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Trust could give the money to other non-canine charities. The first round of donations, totaling $136 million, was announced today: $115 million to medical research (including $40 million to New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center for a digestive diseases center, $25-million to Mount Sinai Medical Center a electrophysiology center, and $10-million to Mount Sinai School of Medicine an inflammatory bowel disease center) while "just" $1 million went to ten animal-related charities (the ASPCA got $100,000). The trust said, "Throughout their lives, the Helmsleys were committed to helping others, through the innovations of medical research, responding to those in need during critical times and in other areas. We now have the privilege of continuing their good works by providing support where it will make a difference." more ›

Following the death of Heath Ledger, his grieving family was questioned endlessly about the actor's will, which was written before his daughter Matilda was born. Now Ledger's father has publicly declared that every cent of the estimated $20 million estate (originally left to his sisters and parents) would go to Matilda, telling People magazine that was the plan "from the moment my boy passed away." Fox News notes that "Williams' father [Larry Williams, one of the world's best-known stock market traders] has previously challenged the grieving Ledger family to publicly state the value of their son's fortune." Meanwhile, TMZ is reporting that the ReliaStar Life Insurance Company, who wrote Heath Ledger's $10 million life insurance policy is in June of 2007, is "being sued after claiming the actor's death might have been a suicide, even though officials concluded it was accidental. Lawyers for Ledger's daughter say it's a transparent ploy to avoid paying the money." more ›

Word on Heath Ledger's will has hit the newswire, and according to documents filed in Manhattan Surrogate's Court, he had less than $145,000 in New York assets when he died on January 22nd. The figure includes about $100,000 in bank accounts, a $25,000 Toyota Prius and $20,000 in furniture and fixtures. more ›

Dare we say that Brooke Astor is rolling in her grave? Yesterday, it was reported that her son Anthony Marshall and his former lawyer Francis Morrissey would be indicted for criminal activity over the handling of her will. And this morning, Marshall turned himself in at the Manhattan DA's offices, to face charges of fraud, forgery and grand larceny. Or, as DA Robert Morgenthau said, "The indictment charges that Marshall and Morrissey took advantage of... more ›