Category: Dead Celebrity
Celebrity Estates: Giorgio Armani’s $12B Legacy and Succession Plan

Celebrity Estates: Giorgio Armani’s $12B Legacy and Succession Plan

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Giorgio Armani left behind more than fashion when he passed away at 91. His $12 billion empire, absence of direct heirs and a carefully crafted foundation raise essential estate planning lessons that extend beyond celebrity headlines.

Kevin Ghassomian, partner at Venable LLP, explains how Armani separated wealth from control, empowered trusted collaborators, and institutionalized his brand to ensure continuity. He emphasizes the importance of early planning, communication and mission-driven structures in preserving wealth and vision.

Join WealthManagement.com Senior Editor David Lenok and Kevin for a compelling discussion on the lasting lessons Armani’s estate provides for families, advisors and business owners alike.

Key takeaways:

  • Armani’s early planning, which began in 2016, allowed for a structured succession strategy
  • The separation of personal assets from business assets to protect brand identity
  • The creation of a foundation to act as the steward of Armani’s legacy, ensuring mission-driven continuity
  • The benefits and challenges of planning without a spouse or children, highlighting freedom vs. overwhelm
  • Practical lessons business owners of all sizes can apply, such as buy-sell agreements, trusts and meaningful communication.

Resources:

Connect With David Lenok:

Connect With Kevin Ghassomian:

About Our Guest:

Kevin Ghassomian focuses his practice on the personal legal needs of business owners, corporate executives, high-net-worth individuals, and their families. Kevin’s representation covers all aspects of domestic and international estate planning, with an emphasis on tax minimization, asset protection, business succession, and philanthropy. Kevin also counsels individual and corporate fiduciaries on the administration of trusts and estates, including the preparation of gift and estate tax returns and defense of positions taken on those returns.

Kevin previously worked in the New York City headquarters of a global investment company, where he counseled a multinational client base on complex wealth management matters, including foreign and domestic trust planning and related asset allocation strategies. Kevin leverages this background to collaborate with tax, investment, and insurance advisors, ensuring that their work is effectively integrated into the planning process.

In addition to his law practice, Kevin is a frequent speaker, a published author, and a former professor of law, concentrating his scholarship on estate planning, taxation, and various wealth management topics. He also devotes time to numerous civic and charitable causes, maintaining leadership positions on several nonprofit boards.
Celebrity Estates: Legacy Lessons from Ozzy Osbourne

Celebrity Estates: Legacy Lessons from Ozzy Osbourne

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Ozzy Osbourne left behind more than music when he passed away at 76. His $250 million fortune, blended family and valuable music royalties raise pressing estate planning questions that extend far beyond celebrity headlines.

Tasha Dickinson, partner at Day Pitney LLP, shares how advisors can address family conflict, use independent fiduciaries and manage complex assets like royalties. She highlights the crucial role of communication and expectation-setting in preventing disputes.

Join WealthManagement.com Senior Editor David Lenok and Tasha for a compelling conversation on the lessons Ozzy’s estate offers for families and advisors alike.

Tasha discusses:

  • The unique estate challenges faced by blended families and strategies to reduce conflict
  • The importance of appointing an independent fiduciary rather than family members to administer estates
  • How communication and expectation-setting can prevent litigation
  • The complications of managing royalties, intellectual property and other nontraditional assets
  • Why advisors should work as a unified team with attorneys and CPAs early in the planning process
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect With David Lenok:

Connect With Tasha Dickinson:

About Our Guest:

Tasha Dickinson, a Florida Bar Board Certified Wills, Trusts and Estates Lawyer, exclusively represents individuals and families in sophisticated estate planning and estate/trust administration. She has extensive experience with complex wealth preservation strategies, business succession planning, and charitable planning. She represents fiduciaries in complicated estate and trust administration matters. Tasha has developed a niche working with family offices and has written and lectured extensively on residency planning.
Celebrity Estates: Blended Families, Disclaimers, and Hulk Hogan’s $25 Million Estate

Celebrity Estates: Blended Families, Disclaimers, and Hulk Hogan’s $25 Million Estate

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When wrestling legend Hulk Hogan passed away, he left behind more than a fortune; he left a tangled family web.

In this episode, David Lenok talks with Lawrence D. Mandelker, Partner at Venable LLP, to discuss the estate challenges surrounding Hogan’s $25 million legacy. 

Together, they explore how blended families, strained relationships, and renounced inheritances highlight the planning pitfalls that advisors see every day. From fairness vs. equality to the tools that can prevent disputes, this episode offers lessons advisors can apply directly with their clients.

Key Points:

  • Hulk Hogan’s life, fortune, controversies, and blended family structure
  • Estate planning challenges with multiple marriages, stepchildren, and strained relationships
  • How advisors can help clients balance fairness vs. equality among heirs
  • Discusses tools like trusts, disclaimers, and no-contest clauses to prevent family disputes
  • Why proactive conversations and lifetime gifts can reduce surprises and conflicts later
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect With David Lenok:

Connect With Lawrence D. Mandelker:

About Our Guest:

Larry Mandelker helps high-net-worth individuals with estate planning by counseling on mutigenerational transfers of assets and business succession planning. Through the use of wills, trusts, and other estate planning instruments, Larry works with his clients to creatively design estate plans that address their unique needs and plan for future contingencies, while also focusing on asset preservation, premarital planning, and estate, gift, and income tax minimization goals. His clients include individuals in many industries, including corporate executives and founders, owners of closely held businesses, real estate owners and developers, financial principals, technopreneurs, entertainers, athletes, and publishers.
Celebrity Estates: George Foreman and Legacy Planning

Celebrity Estates: George Foreman and Legacy Planning

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In this episode of Celebrity Estates, host David Lenok welcomes Ian Freeman, founder of The Freeman Group and a Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Advisor, for a conversation inspired by the estate of legendary boxer and entrepreneur George Foreman. 

From naming all five of his sons “George Edward Foreman” to building a $300 million fortune, David and Ian explore how identity, family dynamics and unspoken expectations shape legacy. Ian offers practical insight into the emotional side of wealth transfer and how advisors can foster deeper, more meaningful planning conversations.

Ian discusses:

  • George Foreman’s estate strategy and the symbolic power of naming all his sons after himself
  • The emotional and psychological layers of wealth transfer, especially in multi-generational families
  • The importance of flexibility and open dialogue in estate and legacy planning
  • Common communication gaps and how silence can fracture family trust
  • How philanthropic goals can engage future generations and reflect authentic values

Resources:

Connect With David Lenok:

Connect With Ian Freeman:

About Our Guest:

Ian Freeman is a nationally and internationally recognized financial representative with a career rooted in purpose, resilience, and service. A graduate of Wesleyan University, where he studied government, history, economics, and philosophy, Ian began his professional journey in banking and investment banking before launching his insurance career in 1987, with just a $5,000 loan, heavy debt, and a leap of faith. Since then, he has helped enrich the lives of more than 4,500 individuals, families, and businesses by writing over $2 billion in death benefits.

Ian ranks among the top 40 in career production at Northwestern Mutual and is one of only two representatives in the company’s history to qualify for both the Northwestern Mutual Forum and Lives Leader Summit every single year since their inception. A Life Member of the Million Dollar Round Table and past president of the Northwestern Mutual Financial Representatives Association, Ian has served on numerous committees and continues to mentor more than 1,000 financial professionals, with a longstanding commitment to multicultural engagement.

Holding CLU®, ChFC®, CASL®, and AEP® designations, Ian is known for blending deep industry knowledge with authentic client relationships. His practice was honored in the 2005 Northwestern Mutual Annual Report, a recognition he attributes not just to accomplishments, but to character. A passionate speaker and educator, Ian travels the country sharing insights on insurance fundamentals and the true impact of financial guidance.

Outside of work, Ian enjoys golfing, reading, playing guitar, staying active, and spending time with his beloved Golden Retrievers. For Ian, being a traditional representative isn’t about doing things the old way; it’s about doing them the right way, with heart.
Celebrity Estates: Lessons from Leonard Lauder’s Art Legacy with Oliver Pursche

Celebrity Estates: Lessons from Leonard Lauder’s Art Legacy with Oliver Pursche

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In this episode of Celebrity Estates, host David Lenok welcomes Oliver Pursche, senior vice president at Wealthspire Advisors, for a deep dive into the estate complexities surrounding Leonard Lauder’s famed art collection. From cubist masterpieces to staggering valuations, they explore how collectibles impact balance sheets, spark family conflict and raise nuanced estate planning questions.

Here’s what to expect from this episode:

  • The emotional psychology behind collecting and why it matters to advisors
  • How valuation types (fair market vs. insurance vs. resale) shape tax and succession planning
  • What advisors must know about collaborating with clients’ outside experts
  • Strategies to handle heirs with unequal interest in inherited collections
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect With David Lenok:

Connect With Oliver Pursche:

About Our Guest:

Oliver serves as an advisor based in the firm’s Westport, Conn. and New York offices and is an Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS®). He joined the team with over 25 years in financial services, having worked with independent RIAs, regional Broker Dealers, banks and bank trust departments, and family and multi-family offices.

Before coming to Wealthspire, he worked at Bruderman Asset Management, where he served most recently as the interim Chief Market Strategist and Vice Chairman of the Board, and previously as Chief Executive Officer. While concluding his tenure at Bruderman, he simultaneously served as Chief Investment Officer and Chief Market Strategist at EsteV LLC. He has also held leadership positions at Gary Goldberg Financial Services, Trust Company of America, and Neuberger Berman.

Oliver is an experienced global macro market strategist with significant media and corporate communications experience, as well as a published author. Active in the industry and his community, he served on the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women Entrepreneurs Advisory Board, Westport Arts Center Board, and Harvard Business Review Advisory Board, among others.

Originally from Germany, Oliver has resided in Fairfield, CT since 1984 and likes to stay active by playing tennis, scuba diving, and participating in competitive trap and skeet shooting in his free time.
Celebrity Estates: The Art of Celebrity Auctions with Victoria Gray

Celebrity Estates: The Art of Celebrity Auctions with Victoria Gray

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Victoria Gray, deputy chairman of Bonhams North America, has spent decades curating and managing some of the most iconic celebrity estate auctions. From U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s six homes to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s salt and pepper shakers, she reveals how intimate artifacts transform into coveted treasures worth thousands.

With a blend of art, emotion, and strategy, Victoria shares how storytelling and authenticity drive the value of these items, offering a rare glimpse into the private lives of public figures and the meticulous process of estate auctions.

Join WealthManagement.com Senior Editor David Lenok and Victoria for a fascinating discussion on the intersection of celebrity, legacy and financial planning.

Victoria shares insights into:

  • The importance of in-situ photography for authenticity and buyer confidence
  • How generational and first-time bidders are reshaping the auction landscape
  • Strategies for appraising estate items for tax filings and sale timing
  • Lessons advisors can learn from celebrity estate planning challenges

Resources:

Connect With David Lenok:

Connect With Victoria Gray:

About Our Guest:

Victoria R. Gray is a Bonhams Vice President and Director of the Valuations, Trusts & Estates Department as well as Head of Office for Bonhams San Francisco. Since joining Bonhams San Francisco in 2003, she has taken on the responsibilities of managing and developing relationships and mutual business opportunities with trust & estate attorneys, trust officers, wealth managers, certified public accountants, and other fiduciary and professional advisors throughout the United States. Victoria assists clients in a variety of areas utilising Bonhams’ services, including appraisals, auctions, and private treaty sales.

In 2007 and 2008, Victoria worked frequently in the Bonhams Hong Kong office, helping drive forward the company’s expansion in the Asian market, including holding the first wine auction in Hong Kong in 2007. In 2008, Victoria was relocated to the Bonhams New York office, where she was tasked with building and expanding the Trusts & Estates Department for the US East Coast. After 5 years as Director and Head of Trusts & Estates in the New York Office, Victoria relocated back to the San Francisco office in 2012, where she has been running the Trusts & Estates group in San Francisco ever since.

In addition to being Vice President of Trusts & Estates, Victoria is Head of Office for San Francisco and manages business development opportunities.

In addition to her Trusts & Estates responsibilities, Victoria has also served as one of Bonham’s lead auctioneers since 2014, selling auctions ranging from wine, guns, jewellery, Asian works of Art, and Fine Art.

In addition to Bonhams auctions, Victoria also serves as a charity auctioneer.

Victoria holds a BA in Art History from Bucknell University, and prior to joining Bonhams in San Francisco, Victoria worked at Sotheby’s auction house in New York. Victoria gives frequent lectures and presentations on the art market and appraisals and has recently presented to the Peninsula Estate Planning Council, ACTEC California Fellows annual meeting, and ArtTable Seattle.
Celebrity Estates: First-Generation Wealth with George Stefanou

Celebrity Estates: First-Generation Wealth with George Stefanou

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Leon Spinks shocked the world in 1978 when, in just his eighth professional fight, he defeated Muhammad Ali to become the undisputed heavyweight champion, a victory still regarded as one of boxing’s greatest upsets. Yet, despite his early success and multimillion-dollar earnings, financial missteps and the long-term effects of brain injuries would take a heavy toll.

At his lowest point, Spinks worked as a janitor and fast-food worker in Nebraska. But with the unwavering support of his wife Brenda, he eventually found peace and stability in Las Vegas, where he remained a cherished figure in the boxing community until his death from prostate cancer at age 67.

Join WealthManagement.com Senior Editor David Lenok as he sits down with advisor and author George Stefanou for an insightful conversation on the unique estate planning challenges faced by first-generation millionaires.

Together, they explore the emotional complexities and generational tensions that arise when “old country” values meet modern American dreams—and how advisors can help families navigate the delicate balance between legacy, lifestyle, and long-term stewardship.

George shares insights into:

  • Challenges faced by first-generation millionaires
  • The emotional side of estate planning and the importance of family conversations
  • How heirs can avoid a ‘windfall mentality’ 
  • Strategies for fostering family cohesion and legacy
  • The expanded role of advisors, including the need for increased financial literacy
  • And more

Resources:

Connect With David Lenok:

Connect With George Stefanou:

About Our Guest:

George is a first-generation Greek-American and a 2023 & 2024 Forbes Best-in-State Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisor, serving as the financial guru behind “Two-Comma Wealth.” As a University of Central Florida alumnus and avid football fan, George brings a unique perspective to the world of personal finance.

Alongside his roles as a devoted husband to Kristin and father to Ella and Aubrey, George is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional who also holds the following advanced credentials: Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®), Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®), Accredited Asset Management Specialist℠ (AAMS®), Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist℠ (CRPS®) and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor℠ (CRPC®). Drawing on over 15 years of experience and thousands of diverse client interactions, George has developed a talent for humanizing finance, helping clients navigate the complexities of wealth management while empowering both investors and advisors.
Celebrity Estates: How Bob Marley’s Estate Took 30 Years to Settle

Celebrity Estates: How Bob Marley’s Estate Took 30 Years to Settle

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When Bob Marley passed away in 1981, he left behind a musical legacy, but no estate plan. Due to his religious beliefs, Marley didn’t create a will, and what followed was a legal firestorm: forged documents, disputed signatures and a tangled web of allegations involving his wife, attorney and accountant.

In this episode, David Lenok is joined by Noah Rosenfarb, CPA, founder of Wealthrive, to explore what happens when traditional estate planning tools, like wills, are off the table. Noah discusses:

  • The vital differences between wills and trusts 
  • Strategies like the Spousal Lifetime Access Trust 
  • Navigating estate versus revocable trusts 
  • The misunderstood role of communication in wealth preservation
  • Overcoming familial challenges in estate planning 
  • And more

Resources:

Connect With David Lenok:

Connect With Noah Rosenfarb:

About Our Guest:

Noah Rosenfarb is a third-generation CPA who learned early in life that becoming tax-efficient could accelerate the journey toward achieving financial goals. After attaining financial independence and stepping away from operating businesses, Noah began sharing his expertise with members of EO and YPO. The response was immediate—people started asking him for help.

Determined not to return to a traditional job, Noah assembled a team of accountants, lawyers, and financial planners. He personally trained them in the strategies he used to become Rich Beyond Money. One of his proudest accomplishments is knowing that entrepreneurs working with his team achieve better results than he could have delivered alone.

Noah openly shares the tools, resources, and strategies that created his own version of true freedom. With a track record that includes selling eight companies, taking one public, and completing more than 50 real estate investments valued near $1 billion, he brings more than technical expertise—he brings lived experience. He serves high-performing families who seek to balance qualitative life goals with quantitative financial strategies.

Based in Parkland, Florida, Noah lives with his wife, Amanda, and their two children. A passionate traveler, he’s visited over 70 countries across five continents.
Celebrity Estates: Gene Hackman and Estate Planning While in Cognitive Decline

Celebrity Estates: Gene Hackman and Estate Planning While in Cognitive Decline

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After four decades of acting and winning multiple awards, Gene Hackman was found dead in his home at the age of 95, along with his wife and primary caretaker, Betsy Arakawa. Forensics uncovered that his wife predeceased him, leaving him to struggle with Alzheimer’s alone before passing away one week later.

Join WealthManagement.com Senior Editor David Lenok, and Jackie Bevilaqua a partner at Warshaw Burstein, as they delve into the tragic and unexpected circumstances of Hackman’s final days, exploring pressing questions about elder care, cognitive decline and how to safeguard clients against unforeseen complications.

They discuss:

  • Challenges in estate planning for cognitively impaired clients 
  • The importance of ongoing revision and understanding of estate plans 
  • How societal shifts impact elder care and estate planning
  • The significance of community support systems in elder law
  • Legal nuances of simultaneous deaths and the implications for estates

Resources:

Connect With David Lenok:

Connect With Jacqueline Bevilaqua:

About Our Guest:

Mrs. Bevilaqua has focused her practice on trusts and estates law since 2013. She has a strong background in estate planning and estate and trust administration for a diverse clientele, particularly complex issues of gift, estate and trust taxation. She also has significant experience in international estate planning, foreign account tax act compliance, and pre-immigration tax planning.

In addition, Ms. Bevilaqua is well-versed in counseling nonprofit corporations on regulatory, governance and federal and state tax compliance matters.
Celebrity Estates: All the President’s Money with Megan Gorman

Celebrity Estates: All the President’s Money with Megan Gorman

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With Donald Trump appearing at his recent inauguration flanked by tech billionaires, the connection between presidents and the almighty dollar is more apparent than ever. However, Trump is not the only president with an interesting relationship with money.

In this episode of the Celebrity Estates podcast, host David Lenok welcomes back Megan Gorman, a wealth and tax planning expert and founding partner at Chequers Financial Management, to discuss her new book, All the President’s Money: How the Men Who Governed America Governed Their Money. Listen as they delve into U.S. presidents’ financial decisions and estate planning strategies, uncovering common challenges such as procrastination and poor communication with heirs.

Through historical examples, Megan and David emphasize the importance of clear estate planning, communication with heirs and considering the legacy one’s financial decisions leave behind. The discussion underscores how estate planning lessons from historical figures can be applied to modern financial planning, making it a compelling episode for advisors and individuals alike.

Key insights include:

  • Insights into Harry Truman’s “letter of wishes” 
  • The surprising financial savvy of Warren G. Harding
  • How George Washington’s estate plan unintentionally endangered Martha
  • Abraham Lincoln’s lack of an estate plan despite his legal background
  • And more

Resources:

Connect With David Lenok:

Connect With Megan Gorman:

About Our Guest:

Megan is the founding partner of Chequers Financial Management, a fee-only planning firm that specializes in high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth families in San Francisco, California. Megan heads the firm’s family office services practice.

As well, Megan is a Senior Contributor for Forbes in personal finance and tax. She is also quoted regularly in the press as a tax and financial planning expert including such publications as The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. She blogs at TheWealthIntersection.com, has appeared on numerous podcasts, and is a regular weekly commentator on The Money Tree Podcast.