Leona Helmsley's dog meant more to her than grandkids

People News

By Stone Martindale Aug 29, 2007, 16:32 GMT

Mean until the end, and even in the afterlife. The poster girl for the rich and smug, Leona Helmsley, has bequeathed her dog a fortune, cutting out two of her grandchildren in her will. Real estate baroness Leona Helmsley appears for court in New York on January 21, 2003. Helmsley, who famously declared 'only little people pay taxes' and later went to prison for tax evasion, died on Monday at the age of 87, her publicist said. REUTERS/Chip East

Real estate baroness Leona Helmsley appears for court in New York on January 21, 2003. Helmsley, who famously declared 'only little people pay taxes' and later went to prison for tax evasion, died on Monday at the age of 87, her publicist said. REUTERS/Chip EastThe dog will continue to live an opulent life, and then be buried alongside her in a luxury mausoleum. Two of Helmsley's grandchildren got nothing from the late luxury hotelier and real estate billionaire's estate.Helmsley left her white Maltese, named Trouble, a $12 million trust fund, according to her will, which was made public Tuesday in surrogate court, reports the AP.Helmsley left her brother,Alvin Rosenthal, some money too, and was cited as the caretaker for Trouble in her absence, as well as two of four grandchildren from her late son Jay Panzirer with stipulation that they visit their father's grave site once each calendar year.If they do not honor her wishes, Helmsley wrote in her will neither grandchild will get any $5 million trust she left for each.Helmsley left absolutely nothing to two of her son's other children Craig and Meegan Panzirer, for "reasons that are known to them," she wrote in her will."I direct that when my dog, Trouble, dies, her remains shall be buried next to my remains in the Helmsley mausoleum," Helmsley wrote in her will.The AP reports that the Helmsley mausoleum must be "washed or steam-cleaned at least once a year." She left behind $3 million for the upkeep of her final resting place in Westchester County, where she is buried with her husband, Harry Helmsley.Helmsley left her chauffeur, Nicholas Celea, $100,000.Leona ordered that cash from sales of the Helmsley's residences and belongings, reported to be worth billions, to be sold off and then the money be given to the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.Helmsley died earlier this month at her Connecticut home. Dubbed "the Queen of Mean" after her 1988 indictment and subsequent conviction for tax evasion. One employee had quoted her as saying, "Only the little people pay taxes

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AgainAug 29th, 2007 - 18:09:27

A dog leaves it's money to a dog -

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damnAug 29th, 2007 - 19:04:01

she was pretty

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Tori OhnoAug 29th, 2007 - 21:36:09

That was sarcasm, right? Looks like a man to me. Anyway, why is everybody so surprised?

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yahAug 30th, 2007 - 01:18:12

of course it was.

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Really.Aug 30th, 2007 - 02:02:48

What a nasty, nasty lady, May God Bless her anyway.

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Steve PeacockAug 30th, 2007 - 12:31:14

And to think that I once forced Joan Rivers, her dog Spike in tow, to exit the Helmsley Palace when I worked there -- knowing Leona was on her way to the hotel at the moment, and thinking she would have freaked out at the site of the dog. Seriously. Perhaps Leona would have kissed the pooch instead. -- Steve Peacock; author, 'Hotel Dick: Harlots, Starlets, Thieves & Sleaze.'

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Gurmit SinghAug 31st, 2007 - 18:58:39

This is sickening. Dog has more value than lots of dying human beings.

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People don't get itAug 31st, 2007 - 19:21:35

I'm not saying Leona was a Saint, but she donated 99% of her money to charity. She gave most of that wealth back to society. She didn't give it to her Paris Hilton wannabe grand kids.

People are just haters.

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JeffAug 31st, 2007 - 19:25:09

George Lopez said it best the other day. Her picture,she looks like
the Joker in Batman. I about choked on my coffee. Good one George!

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Who caresAug 31st, 2007 - 21:06:44

Another rich person croaks and leaves no money to her family. Who cares? Really? Does it even come CLOSE to concerning ANY of us???

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Leona Helmsley's dog meant more to her than grandkids

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