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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Family Fights Over Kirk Kerkorian’s Estate

LOS ANGELES (CN) — The widow, a daughter, and a companion of late billionaire real estate developer Kirk Kerkorian have each asked Los Angeles Superior Court for a bigger cut of his estate.

Claims have been filed by Kerkorian's daughter, Kira Kerkorian; his widow, Una Davis; and a former actress now working as a real estate agent, Vanessa Sandin, who says she was Kerkorian's companion before he died.

In the widow's May 18 petition, Davis says Kerkorian died intestate, leaving a wife, two children and three grandchildren, among whom more than $1.8 billion must be allocated.

As the surviving spouse, Davis says, she is entitled to one-third of the estate's estimated $1,814,740,314: which would give her more than $600 million — despite her prenuptial agreement.

In her petition for a court order determining the right of omitted surviving spouse to assets, Davis says she was forced to sign a prenuptial agreement that limited her inheritance to $15 million, though a "gift instruction" granted her only $10 million.

Davis and Kerkorian married on March 30, 2014. He died on June 15, 2015. She says in the petition that they had had an "on-and-off-again relationship beginning in 1996."

Davis says she got only $10 million, not the $15 million, and that the premarital contract is invalid, as it was not executed by both parties, and she signed it "under duress."

She asks the court to toss the prenuptial agreement and award her one-third of the estate. Her attorney, Robin Bentler, could not be reached for comment by telephone on Memorial Day.

On May 20, Kira Kerkorian objected to the $30 million preliminary distribution approved by her guardian on March 1. She turned 18 on March 9, and wasted no time appealing the court's approval of the $30 million distribution. Among other things, she objects to a $7 million payment to the estate's executor Anthony Mandekic. She also says the distribution is improper while there are legal challenges against the estate's, which has not been "conclusively admitted to probate."

She wants the $30 million preliminary distribution stopped until at least one of the legal challenges against the will are resolved and the probate conclusively admits a final will.

She is represented by Allan Cutrow with Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, who could not be reached by phone over the Memorial Day holiday.

Sandin, in a Jan. 21 creditor's claim, says that in May 2014 Kerkorian asked her to be his "daily companion" and promised to take care of her financially by giving her at least $20 million to ensure she never has to work again.

Sandin, a licensed real estate agent with a child, says she had to revise her work and childcare schedules to be with Kerkorian several hours each day and provide the companionship he sought from her.

Despite holding up her end of the bargain, she says, Kerkorian's estate did not provide the money promised. She seeks at least the $20 million she says he promised her.

Mandekic on Feb. 29 formally denied Sandin's creditor claim without indicating why.

So on May 24 Sandin filed a Superior Court complaint against Mandekic as the estate's executor, seeking at least $20 million for breach of agreement.

Sandin sold Kerkorian's Beverly Hills mansion at 1014 N. Roxbury Drive in December last year for $22 million.

Vanessa Sandin has a credit for a role in the 1994 film "Naked Gun 33 1/3," the TV series "Friends," and a non-speaking role in a 1992 Michael Jackson Pepsi commercial, according to industry website Imdb.com.

Sandin could not be reached for comment over the Memorial Day holiday and did not respond to an email request for comment. Her attorney, Jeffrey Valle, could not be contacted for comment.

Kerkorian was 98. He was a real estate developer and movie studio owner, who opened the original MGM casino and hotel in 1969.

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