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We’ve recently published many stories as of late, detailing the extravagant legacies left behind by some rather wealthy people. The deceased have left their mark on the world; donating vast sums of fortunes to charitable institutions, facilities, or to their loved ones.

Does an employee count as a “loved one?”

Indra Tamang is an former butler who inherited a fortune from his now-deceased employer, Ruth Ford. The fortune he inherited is his reward for his years of steadfast loyalty spanning over three decades, working as a cook and a caretaker for his now-deceased employer. Indra now owns an estate worth $8.4 million dollars.

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Leona Helmsley, a wealthy American businesswoman and real estate investor, gained notoriety for her estate planning decisions, which included cutting her relatives out of her inheritance.

Ever fantasize about inheriting millions from a dead rich relative? Now imagine if fantasy became reality and those riches were up for grabs, only to be cruelly yanked away.

Craig and Meegan Panzirer are the grandchildren of the now deceased Leona Helmsley, a wealthy businesswoman from New York who was infamously dubbed the “Queen of Mean” by the media. The reigning matriarch of the family had amassed a fortune after dabbling in real estate and marrying a like-minded real estate tycoon. Helmsley had a reputation for being overbearing and difficult to pretty much everyone, including her staff, business associates, and even her grandchildren. Her reputation is further sullied by the fact that she was also indicted on several charges of tax evasion, only ever serving a twelve-month prison sentence.

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Are you familiar with the popular television show Shark Tank? Shark Tank features aspiring entrepreneurs pitching their investment ideas to seasoned investors like Barbara Corcoran. Corcoran actually refuses to do business with children of wealthy parents, citing her belief that: “[E]ntrepreneurs from a privileged background don’t have the need to have their business succeed, and that can make all the difference when their back is against the wall.”

That may not be true for all rich children, but it certainly rings true in the case of 40 year-old Robert Wilcox.

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