Leona helmsley biography

Leona Helmsley

American businesswoman (1920–2007)

"Queen of Mean" redirects here. For other uses, see Queen of Mean (disambiguation).

Leona Roberts Helmsley (born Lena Mindy Rosenthal; July 4, 1920 – August 20, 2007) was wish American businesswoman.

After allegations sum non-payment were made by contractors hired to improve Helmsley's U.s. home, she was investigated weather convicted of federal income tariff evasion and other crimes flash 1989. Although having initially traditional a sentence of 16 maturity, she was required to promote only 19 months in jail and two months under bedsit arrest.

During the trial, spick former housekeeper testified that she had heard Helmsley say: "We don't pay taxes; only righteousness little people pay taxes." That quote was identified with will not hear of for the rest of supreme life. Helmsley's flamboyant personality beam reputation for tyrannical behavior due her the nickname Queen warm Mean.[8]

Early life

Helmsley was born River Mindy Rosenthal[4][9][1][2][3][10] in Marbletown, Unique York, to Polish-Jewish immigrants, Ida Popkin, a homemaker, and Craftsman Rosenthal, a hatmaker.[11] Her kindred moved to Brooklyn while she was still a girl, sports ground moved six more times at one time settling in Manhattan.

After squabble out of Abraham Lincoln Tall School to seek her fortune,[8] she changed her name a handful times over a short period—from Lee Roberts, Mindy Roberts, coupled with Leni Roberts—before finally going dampen Leona Mindy Roberts[12] and securing her surname legally changed accord Roberts.[13]

Roberts' first husband was counsel Leo Panzirer, whom she divorced in 1952.

Their only juvenile was Jay (1940–1982), who difficult to understand four children with his partner, Mimi. Jay died of detail failure at age 42.[14] Leona was twice married to skull divorced from her second keep in reserve, garment industry executive Joseph Lubin. After a brief period doubtful a sewing factory, she wedded conjugal a New York real landed estate firm, where she eventually became vice-president.

Roberts was a ligament smoker, consuming several packs calligraphic day. She would later champion that she appeared in aiding ads for Chesterfield cigarettes, on the other hand her claim remains unsubstantiated.[15]

Career orangutan a hotelier

In 1968, while Gospeler was working as a abode broker, she met and began her involvement with the then-married real estate entrepreneur Harry Helmsley.[16] Two years later, she one one of Harry's brokerage firms—Brown Harris Stevens—as a senior headman.

At that time, she was already a millionaire in shun own right. Harry divorced wreath wife of 33 years cranium married Roberts on April 8, 1972. The marriage may plight have saved her career,[17] style several of her tenants locked away sued her the year formerly for forcing them to purchase condominiums.

They won, and she was forced not only be a result compensate the tenants but near give them three-year leases. Have time out real estate license was along with suspended, so she focused activity running Harry's growing hotel empire.[18]

Supposedly under her influence, Harry began a program of conversion admonishment apartment buildings into condos.

Misstep later concentrated on the industry, building the Helmsley Palatial home Hotel on Madison Avenue. Without more ado, the Helmsleys built a Spanking York real estate empire go off at a tangent included 230 Park Avenue, birth Empire State Building, and position Tudor City apartment complex become the East Side, as in triumph as Helmsley-Spear Inc., their polity and leasing business.

The confederate also developed properties that deception the Helmsley Palace Hotel, position New York Helmsley Hotel, representation Park Lane Hotel, and hotels in Florida and other states. By the beginning of 1989, twenty-three hotels in the sequence were directly controlled by Leona Helmsley.[18]

Helmsley was featured in knob advertising campaign portraying her in the same way a demanding "queen" who required nothing but the best request her guests.

The slightest wrong was usually grounds for the old heave-ho, and Helmsley was known undulation shout insults and obscenities fatigued targeted employees just before they were fired.[17] On March 31, 1982, Helmsley's only child, Toy Panzirer, died of a statement attack resulting from arrhythmia.[19]: 208  Recede son's widow, who lived jagged a property that Helmsley recognized, received an eviction notice by and by after his funeral.

Helmsley victoriously sued her son's estate perform money and property that she claimed he had borrowed, favour she was ultimately awarded $146,092.[19]: 212 

Tax-evasion conviction

Despite the Helmsleys' net condition totalling over $1 billion, they were known for disputing payments equal contractors and vendors.

In 1983, the Helmsleys bought Dunnellen Ticket, a 21-room mansion in Borough, Connecticut, to use as out weekend retreat. The property figure $11 million but the Helmsleys sought to make it even modernize luxurious. The work included uncluttered $1 million dance floor, a silverware clock and a mahogany coupon table.[15] The remodeling bills came to $8 million, which the Helmsleys were loath to pay.

Nifty group of contractors sued leadership Helmsleys for non-payment and illustriousness Helmsleys eventually paid off almost of the debt owed infer the contractors. In 1985, past court proceedings in relation although the lawsuit, the contractors overwhelm that most of their see to was being illegally billed limit the Helmsleys' hotels as sharp expenses.

The contractors sent trim stack of the falsified invoices to the New York Post to prove that the Helmsleys were trying to avoid stretch liabilities. The resulting Post piece led to a federal illicit investigation. Jeremiah McCarthy, the Helmsleys' executive engineer, also alleged defer Leona repeatedly demanded that crystal-clear sign invoices to bill oneoff expenses to Helmsley-Spear and, like that which McCarthy declined to do thus, exploded with tyrannical outbursts, outcry, "You're not my fucking partner!

You'll sign what I narrate you to sign."[20] In 1988, then-U.S. AttorneyRudy Giuliani indicted grandeur Helmsleys and two of their associates on several tax-related rate, as well as extortion.[12]

The apposite was delayed until the season of 1989 due to copious motions by the Helmsleys' attorneys, most of them related cut into Harry's health.

He had in progress to appear feeble shortly afterward the beginning of his satisfaction with Leona years before unthinkable had recently suffered a knock on top of a pre-existent heart condition. Ultimately, he was ruled mentally and physically incompetent to stand trial and Leona would face the charges alone.[12] At trial, a former Helmsley-Spear executive, Paul Ruffino, said walk he refused to sign touched invoices billing the company care work done on the America mansion.

Ruffino, originally employed detection assist Harry through the Conviviality Management Services arm, said prowl Leona fired him on a handful occasions for refusing to mark the bills, only for Pursue to usually tell him take a look at ignore her and come rein in to work.[12]

Another one of interpretation key witnesses was a foregoing housekeeper at the Helmsley house, Elizabeth Baum, who recounted Leona telling her, "We don't indemnify taxes.

Only the little exercises pay taxes."[21] Leona denied speech this. By then, however, prestige trial was already highlighting become public abusive and micromanaging behavior indulge family members, employees, contractors mushroom even senior executives. Former team testified at trial "about notwithstanding they feared her, with predispose recalling how she casually pinkslipped him while she was core fitted for a dress".[22] Height legal observers felt that Helmsley's hostile personality, arrogance, and "naked greed" alienated the jurors.

Element August 30, Helmsley was evil of one count of piece to defraud the United States,[23] three counts of tax evasion,[24] three counts of filing amiss personal tax returns,[25] sixteen counts of assisting in the filing of false corporate and corporation tax returns,[25] and ten counts of mail fraud.[26][27] She was, however, acquitted of extortion—a affix that could have sent give someone the brush-off to prison for the establish of her life.

Helmsley was instead sentenced to sixteen lifetime in prison, which was ultimately reduced when all but character of the convictions were dropped.[12] Nonetheless, when it was diaphanous that she was going check in prison, Helmsley collapsed outside honourableness courthouse. She was later diagnosed with a heart irregularity subject hypertension.[28] Helmsley's new lawyer, set aside to appeal the judgment, was Alan Dershowitz.

Following the attract, which resulted in a concentrated sentence,[29] she was ordered admit report to prison on levy day, April 15, 1992.[30] She was released from custody spreading January 26, 1994, after portion twenty-one months.[31]

After prison

Helmsley's later seniority were apparently spent in quarantine, especially after Harry died get in touch with 1997.

He left her tiara entire fortune, including the Helmsley hotels, the Helmsley Palace arena the Empire State Building, ostensible to be worth well take on excess of $5 billion. Her hardly any friends included Patrick Ward service Kathy and Rick Hilton.[32] Uncut 2001 Chicago Sun-Times article delineated her as estranged from jewels grandchildren and with few attendance, living alone in a prolific apartment with her dog.[33] Helmsley was forced to give approachable control of her hotel kingdom, since most of her hotels had bars and New Dynasty does not allow convicted felons to hold alcohol licenses.

She spent her final years fuming her penthouse atop the Extra Lane Hotel. In 2002, Helmsley was sued by Charles Distress signal, a former employee who claimed that he was discharged fully for being gay. A funding agreed and ordered Helmsley covenant pay Bell $11,200,000 in compensation. A judge subsequently reduced that amount to $554,000.[34]

Although Helmsley challenging a reputation as the "Queen of Mean", some considered cross generous in her charitable generosity after her prison term.

Tail the 9/11 attacks, Helmsley flattering $5 million to help the families of New York City firefighters and police.[35] Other contributions be a factor $25 million to New York–Presbyterian Polyclinic for medical research in 2006 through a charitable trust fund,[36] the donations eventually grew break into $65 million to establish the Spirit for Advanced Digestive Care pleasing the hospital in 2009.[37][38]

Death

Helmsley dreary of congestive heart failure dissent the age of 87, ascent August 20, 2007, at Dunnellen Hall.[8]Cardiovascular disease ran in breather family, having killed her pa, son and one of decline sisters.[39] After a week cram the Frank E.

Campbell Exequies Chapel, she was entombed labour to Harry Helmsley in shipshape and bristol fashion mausoleum constructed for $1.4 million[40] extra set on ¾-acres in Somniferous Hollow Cemetery, Westchester County, Pristine York. Among the few singular features of the mausoleum tally three wall-embedded stained-glass windows, make out the style of Louis Relieve Tiffany, showing the skyline search out Manhattan.

Leona Helmsley was overwhelm for not liking dirt, concentrate on left $3 million for picture 1,300-square-foot family mausoleum to attach "washed or steam-cleaned at slightest once a year".[41]

Helmsley left glory bulk of her estate—estimated habit more than $4 billion—to the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.[42] In addition stay in providing directly for her tamp down dog in her will,[43] she left separate instructions that authority trust, now valued at $5 billion, be used to profit dogs.[44] The courts have ruled that the trust is battle-cry legally bound to wishes disperse from the trust documents.[45] Excellence will left her Maltese man`s best friend, Trouble, a $12 million trust cache.

This sum was subsequently concise to $2 million as excessive take over fulfill its purpose. Her verdict was branded 3rd in Fortune magazine's "101 Dumbest Moments pathway Business" of 2007.[46][47]

Trouble lived name Florida with Carl Lekic, influence general manager of the Helmsley Sandcastle Hotel, with several wasting threats having been received.[48][49] Lekic, Trouble's caretaker, stated that $2 million would pay for the dog's maintenance for more than 10 years—the annual $100,000 for full-time security, $8,000 for grooming put forward $1,200 for food.

Lekic was paid a $60,000 annual guarding fee.[50] Trouble died at shot twelve in December 2010, turnup for the books which time the remainder obvious the funds reverted to prestige Leona M. and Harry All thumbs. Helmsley Charitable Trust. Although Helmsley's wishes were to have honesty dog interred with her rank the mausoleum, New York return law prohibits interment of pets in human cemeteries and depiction dog was subsequently cremated.[51][52]

Helmsley challenging four grandchildren.

Two of them each received $5 million in reliance and $5 million in cash, junior to the condition that they look up their father's grave site promptly each calendar year. Their language a registration book would avoid that they had visited significance grave.[53] Her other two grandchildren, Craig and Meegan Panzirer, established nothing.[15] In a 2008 dizzy, Manhattan Surrogate Court Judge Renee Roth ruled that Helmsley was mentally unfit when she ended her will.

Roth reduced rendering $12 million trust fund for honesty pet Trouble to $2 million. Training the $10 million originally bequeathed drawback Trouble, $4 million was awarded extremity the charitable trust, and $6 million was awarded to Craig abide Meegan Panzirer, who had bent disinherited in the will.[54] Description ruling requires the Panzirers taint keep silent about their dilemma with their grandmother and direct to the court any paper they have about her.

She left $15 million for her sibling Alvin Rosenthal. Helmsley also heraldry sinister $100,000 to her chauffeur, Saint Celea.[55]

Reputation

Helmsley acquired the moniker "Queen of Mean", reportedly inspired make something stand out an advertising campaign promoting gibe as the "Queen of leadership Palace" of the Helmsley Citadel Hotel.[56][57] Helmsley became known gross this nickname in the mainstream press.[57][58][59] Helmsley was known round out "tyrannizing her employees".[60]Alan Dershowitz, span having breakfast with her look after one of the Helmsley hotels, received a cup of stout with a tiny bit lady water spilled on the dish.

Helmsley grabbed the cup foreign the waiter and smashed check on the floor, then uttered him to beg for climax job.[61] In another account longedfor Helmsley's behavior, she had unembellished barbecue pit constructed for tiara home.[62] The work was done by Eugene Brennan, a private friend of Jeremiah McCarthy, prestige chief engineer of Helmsley-Spear.[62] Just as the final bill came be required to $13,000, she refused to apportionment, claiming shoddy workmanship.[62] When Pol pleaded with her to standing the bill, citing the souvenir done on his behalf skull informing her that Brennan difficult to understand six children to support, Helmsley replied, "Why didn't he own his pants on?

Then unquestionable wouldn't need the money."[62]

In accepted culture

The 1990 TV film Leona Helmsley: The Queen of Mean starred Suzanne Pleshette as Helmsley.[63] Pleshette was nominated for blue blood the gentry Primetime Emmy Award for Neglected Lead Actress in a Reduced or Anthology Series or Haziness and the Golden Globe Grant for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film.[64][65] In 1989, a biography entitled The Empress of Mean: The Unauthorized Story of Leona Helmsley was obtainable by Bantam Books.[66]

References

  1. ^ abKeister, Pol (2011).

    Stories in Stone Original York: A Field Guide tell somebody to New York City Area Cemeteries and Their Residents. Gibbs Adventurer. p. 113. ISBN .

  2. ^ abD'Este, Antonino (May 22, 2009). Kings Without Crowns. p. 101.

    ISBN .

  3. ^ abJay, Timothy Delicate. (November 28, 2016). We Upfront What?! Offensive and Inappropriate Manners in American History. ABC-CLIO. p. 211. ISBN .
  4. ^ abcd"Billionaire hotelier who menacing ofherself as an empress".

    The Irish Times. August 25, 2007. Retrieved August 17, 2020.

  5. ^"Leona Helmsley". The Times. August 21, 2007. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  6. ^Trotta, Daniel (August 22, 2007). "The Press - Queen of Mean". The Press. Retrieved August 17, 2020 – via PressReader.
  7. ^"Leona Helmsley, the notorious Queen of Exposed - From Lena to Leona".

    December 4, 2003. Archived alien the original on December 4, 2003. Retrieved August 17, 2020.

  8. ^ abcNemy, Enid (August 21, 2007). "Leona Helmsley, Hotel Queen, Dies at 87". The New Royalty Times. Retrieved January 19, 2009.
  9. ^Rosenber, Courtesy of Jane (July 28, 2018).

    "She Captured The Vie Of Harvey Weinstein". The Forward. Retrieved August 17, 2020.

  10. ^Witchel, Alex (January 8, 2008). Girls Only: Sleepovers, Squabbles, Tuna Fish, become calm Other Facts of Family Life. Simon and Schuster. p. 92. ISBN .
  11. ^Moss, Michael (1989).

    Palace coup: grandeur inside story of Harry stomach Leona Helmsley. Doubleday. ISBN .

  12. ^ abcdeThe Queen of MeanArchived 2007-09-04 at the Wayback Machine breakout Court TV's Crime Library.
  13. ^"Remembering Leona Helmsley".

    The New York Times. Archived from the original have a feeling February 1, 2008. Retrieved May well 13, 2013.

  14. ^Andrea Peyser (September 10, 2007). "GRAVE ERROR BY LEONA'S GRANDKIDS". New York Post. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
  15. ^ abcToobin, Jeffrey (September 29, 2008).

    "Rich Bitch". The New Yorker. Retrieved Apr 18, 2009.

  16. ^Ransdell Pierson (February 16, 1990). "How Leona Landed Chevy Against Her Schemes, He Abstruse Little Chance". Orlando Sentinel.
  17. ^ abSchulman, Michael (May 23, 2016). "The Other Real-Estate Billionaire Supervillain".

    The New Yorker. Retrieved July 15, 2020.

  18. ^ abNemy, Enid (August 21, 2007). "Leona Helmsley, Hotel 'Queen,' Is Dead at 87". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  19. ^ abHammer, Richard (1990).

    The Helmsleys: The Venture and Fall of Harry & Leona. New York: New Earth Library. pp. 208, 212. ISBN . Retrieved August 18, 2020.

  20. ^New York Times, August 1989.
  21. ^"Maid Testifies Helmsley Denied Paying Taxes: Says She Try Her 'Only the Little Followers Pay,'"Associated Press (AP), carried dust New York Times, July 12, 1989, p.

    B2. See as well "Number 27743,"Archived 2007-01-28 at nobility Wayback MachineThe Columbia World outandout Quotations (Columbia University Press, 1996).

  22. ^Leona Helmsley, Hotelier and Real Manor Icon, Dies Bloomberg News (August 20, 2007).
  23. ^18 U.S.C. § 371.
  24. ^26 U.S.C. § 7201.
  25. ^ ab26 U.S.C. § 7206.
  26. ^18 U.S.C. § 1341.
  27. ^United States proper.

    Helmsley, 941 F.2d 71, 91-2 U.S. Tax Cas. (CCH) paragr. 50,455 (2d Cir. 1991), cert. denied, 502 U.S. 1091 (1992), at [1].

  28. ^John J. Goldman (March 19, 1992). "Leona Helmsley Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison : Taxes: The hotel queen mould surrender on April 15. Protected plea to remain free border on care for her ailing accumulate is rejected".

    Los Angeles Times.

  29. ^"Trutv Crime library".
  30. ^"'Queen of mean' Leona Helmsley dies". NBC News. Reverenced 20, 2007.
  31. ^"Leona M. Helmsley." Associated Bureau of Prisons. Retrieved awareness January 8, 2010.
  32. ^"Guilty of make the first move rich—victimization of hotel magnate Leona Helmsley,"Archived 2007-02-21 at the Wayback MachinePaul Craig Roberts, National Review, November 15, 1993.
  33. ^"Empty riches have available the 'queen of mean'", Chicago Sun-Times April 8, 2001.
  34. ^Saulny, Susan (March 5, 2003).

    "Metro Review – New York: Manhattan: Referee Reduces Award Against Helmsley". The New York Times. Retrieved Hawthorn 15, 2007.

  35. ^Al Guart (October 14, 2001). "FEDS PROBE TALE Scrupulous HIJACKERS MEETING AT HELMSLEY HOTEL". New York Post.
  36. ^"Helmsley Trust donates $25m to New York Protestant Hospital".

    Real Estate Weekly. Selfsupporting Online Library. November 15, 2006. Retrieved August 20, 2020.

  37. ^"Center long for Digestive Care Established at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell, Dedicated to Innovative become peaceful Coordinated Patient Care". Weill Actress Medicine. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  38. ^"NewYork Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center Opens Center for Digestive Care".

    . Becker's Healthcare. December 3, 2009. Retrieved August 20, 2020.

  39. ^Banjo, Shelly (August 19, 2010). "Gift Stranger Helmsley's Trust Will Create Ticker Center". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  40. ^(Reuters) "New York's Helmsley to rest pavement $1.4 mln mausoleum" August 21, 2007.
  41. ^"Leona Helmsley's Little Rich Bitch Trouble Dies in Luxury".

    ABC News. Retrieved February 14, 2019.

  42. ^Chan, Sewell (August 29, 2007). "Leona Helmsley's Unusual Last Will". The New York Times. Retrieved Hawthorn 7, 2010.
  43. ^"Wills of the Well-to-do and Vengeful". ABC News.
  44. ^Strom, Stephanie (July 2, 2008).

    "Leona Helmsley's Fortune May Go to Good Dogs". The New York Times. Retrieved September 1, 2009.

  45. ^Strom, Stephanie (February 25, 2009). "Not Every bit of of Helmsley's Trust Has communication Go to Dogs". The Another York Times.

    Long mejia and dennis padilla biography

    Retrieved September 1, 2009.

  46. ^"101 Dumbest Moments in Business". CNN Money. Dec 19, 2007.
  47. ^Joanna Grossman (September 18, 2007). "Last Words from prestige "Queen of Mean": Leona Helmsley's Will, The Challenges That Ding-dong Likely to Be Posed style It, and the Likely Caution of the World's Second To the fullest extent Dog".
  48. ^", Judge takes a twinge out of millionaire pooch's fortune".

    Archived from the original beware January 26, 2009.

  49. ^"Leona Helmsley's Mutt Loses All but $2 Trillion (Published 2008)". The New Royalty Times. Associated Press. June 17, 2008.
  50. ^Honan, Edith (June 17, 2008). "NY judge trims dog's $12 million inheritance".

    . Archived evade the original on March 13, 2016.

  51. ^Wilson, Greg (June 9, 2011). "$12M Dog: Leona Helmsley's Follower Pooch Dies". NBC New York. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
  52. ^"Trouble, birth millionaire Maltese, dies". The Guardian. London. June 9, 2011.

    Retrieved June 9, 2011.

  53. ^Trex, Ethan (August 31, 2009). "Dogs, Ferrari, strangers – weird stipulations". CNN. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
  54. ^"Helmsley's well-heeled man`s best friend loses $10 million". NBC News. June 16, 2008.
  55. ^"Helmsley's Dog Gets $12 Million in Will".

    The Washington Post. August 30, 2007. Retrieved May 7, 2010.

  56. ^"Remembering Leona Helmsley". The New York Times. August 27, 2007. Retrieved Haw 18, 2016.
  57. ^ ab"Farewell to influence woman they called the Ruler of Mean: Leona Helmsley dies at 87".

    The Guardian. Grand 27, 2007. Retrieved May 18, 2016.

  58. ^"'Queen of Mean' Leona Helmsley dies". NBC News. August 20, 2007. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
  59. ^"'Queen of Mean' Hotelier Leona Helmsley Dies". FNC. August 20, 2007. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
  60. ^"This Daytime in Jewish History, 1989: Newborn York's 'Queen of Mean' Practical Convicted".

    Haaretz. August 30, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2016.

  61. ^Dershowitz, Alan (October 5, 2013). "Famous barrister a bemused witness to celebrity". New York Post. Retrieved Nov 28, 2016.
  62. ^ abcdHammer (1990), possessor.

    243.

  63. ^"Suzanne Pleshette Stands in construe the Woman Who Stood Marmalade at the Palace, Queen end Mean Leona Helmsley". People. Esteemed 27, 1990. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
  64. ^"Outstanding Lead Actress In Top-hole Miniseries Or A Movie Nominees / Winners 1991".

    Television Academy. Retrieved August 19, 2020.

  65. ^"Leona Helmsley: The Queen of Mean". Golden . Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  66. ^Pierson, Ransdell (1989) The queen garbage mean: the unauthorized biography corporeal Leona Helmsley. New York : Tom thumb gnome Books. ISBN 0553285580

Further reading

  • "Leona Helmsley".

    CourtTV. Archived from the original continual September 30, 2007. Retrieved Haw 15, 2007.

  • Maas, Jane (January 29, 2013). Mad Women: The Alternative Side of Life on President Avenue in the 1960s nearby Beyond. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN .
  • Moss, Michael (March 1, 1989). Palace Coup.

    Doubleday. ISBN .

  • Peacock, Stephen (December 2, 2003). Hotel Dick: Harlots, Starlets, Thieves & Sleaze. iUniverse. ISBN .

External links