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Leona Helmsley's Fortune Can Go to Non-Canine Charities
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 25, 2009
Modified Feb 25, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 25, 2009
Modified Feb 25, 2009
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A judge ruled that Leona Helmsley's multibillion dollar fortune can be distributed to a number of charities—and not just dog-related ones. The real estate mogul, who died in 2007, had wanted her $5-8 billion fortune to go to canine charities (she also left $12 million to her dog Trouble, but that was reduced to $2 million by a judge), but now The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust's trustees will be able to determine where the money goes. A statement from the trust notes, "In the hope that this would be the court's decision, the trustees have been diligently working to identify potential grantees so the Trust's funds would be put to optimal use as soon as possible in such areas as health care, medical research, human services, education, and various other areas."
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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