Why the fur’s flying over Karl Lagerfeld’s fortune: Seven ‘heirs’ left in limbo, an accountant who’s gone missing, a suspicious tax tangle… and a CAT that may get millions
At stake is the ‘Kaiser’s’ fortune which is said to stand at £178 million, but may in fact be closer to £400 million. The beneficiaries include a collection of male models, former employees, and his young godson who are quarreling over who Lagerfeld loved best and who will therefore be getting the largest windfall.
Meanwhile, Lagerfeld’s accountant, who is 87, has ‘disappeared’ from the scene, while the 16-month wrangle over his fortune is no closer to being sorted out. So where is all the money? And can the reports that Lagerfeld’s beloved cat Choupette is about to become a very rich kitty indeed possibly be true?
There has been confusion over the extent of Lagerfeld’s fortune, which has caused delay in declaring probate. Before his death, detectives working for the French tax authorities took a close interest in Lagerfeld’s financial arrangements. A source connected to France’s Economy & Finance Ministry told the Daily Mail that they suspected tax fraud.
The source also stated, “The situation has become extremely complicated, and this is why the settling of Mr Lagerfeld’s affairs is far from simple.”
Lagerfeld had no close relatives and he often joked about leaving everything to Chouppette, who he claimed he would have married if it were legally possible. Fortunately for the humans in his life, there was no legal way he could have given millions to his cat.
However, the Press in France report there are seven beneficiaries — all human, and all of whom stand to inherit millions.
See Alison Boshoff, Why the fur’s flying over Karl Lagerfeld’s fortune: Seven ‘heirs’ left in limbo, an accountant who’s gone missing, a suspicious tax tangle… and a CAT that may get millions , Daily Mail (UK), June 14, 2020.
Special thanks to Joel C. Dobris (Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law) for bringing this article to my attention.