$25 Million Estate Of NYC Model Gigi Carrier Cowell In Dispute Over Adoption Issue

Gigi Carrier Cowell was a Manhattan model who died intestate with a $25 million estate.  When Gigi Cowell passed away in 2009 her brother Leonard Carrier made a claim for the estate.  Since Leanard Carrier passed away last year his widow has staked a claim for herself and her two children.  One major issue is the fact that Gigi Carrier was adopted in 1979 by her lover, Shirley Cowell, because same-sex marriage was not legal at the time and Gigi Carrier wanted her partner to inherit the wealth she had.  Under New York State law family ties get severed with adoption and it would be difficult for a sibling to make a claim when there is no will. 

See Barbara Ross, NYC model’s family can’t touch $25M estate due to adoption, The New York Daily News, August 20, 2015.