A Florida widow who expected to be kept afloat for life by her shipping-magnate hubby’s wealth is suing her stepkids in Manhattan for sinking her stipend.
Christine De Galvis claims that when she met shipping mogul Robert Pierot Sr. the two fell instantly in love. She says that the two were married in 1996, and that shortly thereafter he was diagnosed with cancer.
When Pierot passed away in 1997 he was personally worth around $300 million.
She has filed a lawsuit claiming that Pierot instructed his children to take care of her throughout her life. She alleges that she reached an agreement with the children that they would pay her $5,000 per month for life in exchange for giving up any further claims to the estate.
Evidently, the payments were made for 13 years and then stopped without any word.
The New York Post reported the story in a recent article titled “Widow of shipping magnate sues stepkids for more inheritance.”
Pierot’s son claims that there was never a valid marriage between his father and De Galvis. He also claims that there was never an agreement to pay her every month for her entire life and that her lawsuit is frivolous.
Setting aside the issue of whether De Galvis and Pierot were ever married, this case will in all likelihood turn on whether there was a binding legal agreement between the children and De Galvis, such as a contract or court settlement.
That, of course, is something that a judge will have to sort out.
Reference: New York Post (June 7, 2015) “Widow of shipping magnate sues stepkids for more inheritance.”
