Brooke Astor’s Son, Lawyer Face Criminal Charges
Updated: Anthony Marshall, the son of the late wealthy socialite Brooke Astor, is charged with stealing money and artwork from his mother and forging her name on an amendment to her will, Bloomberg reports.
Francis Morrissey Jr., a onetime lawyer of Brooke Astor, is charged with conspiracy, forgery and possession of a forged instrument, and he is expected to be arraigned later this week, the New York Times reported.
A Manhattan grand jury had been considering evidence concerning a 2004 change to Astor’s 2002 will, signed when Morrissey was present, and Marshall’s handling of his mother’s financial affairs, the New York Times reported. Astor’s court-appointed lawyer had hired a handwriting expert who concluded the 2004 signature was possibly forged, the newspaper says.
Astor had established a trust worth about $60 million and an estate valued at about $132 million.
The amendment said Astor’s real estate should be sold upon her death and added to her residuary estate. A prior change to the will gave the entire residuary estate to Marshall instead of an annual income of 7 percent a year from the residual amount.
A lawyer for Morrissey told the New York Times that his client denies he acted improperly and looks forward to his day in court. Anthony Marshall’s attorney, Kenneth E. Warner, said in an e-mailed statement to Bloomberg that his client would be exonerated.
“Anthony Marshall faithfully and effectively managed his mother’s affairs for more than 25 years, increasing the value of her investments from $19 million to $82 million,” Warner said.
Updated at 4:36 p.m. CST to add information and state that one of Brooke Astor’s former lawyers was indicted.
