Mysterious Chicago recluse Joseph Stancak’s $11 million unclaimed estate thrown into chaos by newly surfaced will

Joseph Stancak died in 2016, leaving behind $11 million with no will or apparent heirs. Stancak’s estate is considered one of the largest unclaimed estates in the United States, with more than 119 distant relatives around the globe who were informed that they would receive payouts. Then, a mysterious will surfaced in Cook County probate court this summer.

In June, a petition was filed asking that the newly turned-up will be probated, so a hold was put on any inheritance payouts until the will’s legitimacy could be sorted.

The document presented was a will dated August 19, 2015, leaving Stancak’s entire estate to Smart Kids Child Care Inc. Only two copies were produced: one to be held by Smart Kids Child Care Inc. and one by the lawyer who allegedly drafted the will, a personal injury attorney John Alleman. But Alleman died in a plane crash a few months after the will was signed.

The document has been called “highly suspicious” and “poorly drafted” and was only discovered after the unclaimed estate made international headlines. Attorney Ken Piercey, who was appointed independent administrator of Stancak’s estate, says Stancak had zero connection to Smart Kids Childcare, which is located in the Bronx.

For more information see Mitch Dudek “SW Side recluse’s record-setting $11 million unclaimed estate thrown into chaos by newly surfaced will” Chicago Sun Times, October 21, 2023.

Special thanks to Laura Galvan (Attorney, San Antonio, Texas) for bringing this article to my attention.