The children of the late billionaire Bruce Wasserstein are facing a legal battle over his estimated $2.3 billion estate. Wasserstein’s love child, Sky, who was born to his mistress Erin McCarthy, is claiming that her half-siblings have refused to give her a fair share of the inheritance. Sky is suing her siblings for more than $100 million, alleging that they have repeatedly bullied, ostracized, and neglected her.
In court papers filed in New York Surrogate’s Court, Sky’s attorneys named her half-sister Pamela Wasserstein, the president of Vox Media, as a “bully” who has allegedly connived to stop Sky from getting her full inheritance. The papers allege that Pamela Wasserstein has pursued a campaign against Sky with particular zeal, serving as her trustee despite a plethora of conflicts and self-dealing. Sky’s attorneys claim that Pamela’s behavior towards Sky makes even the behavior of Cinderella’s evil stepsisters seem mild.
The legal battle between Sky and the Wasserstein siblings has been ongoing for years. In 2019, Sky claimed that her siblings were trying to cheat her on the value of their father’s Hamptons mansion. McCarthy claimed that Wasserstein’s other children agreed to give Sky her share of the value of his properties in cash if she and the girl agreed to never visit the homes.
Sky’s attorneys are asking for a settlement to be determined at trial for more than $100 million as well as further damages for her “ostracism,” plus the appointment of an independent trustee. Sky’s trust, which is still controlled by her siblings, was paid $6,566,700 “to close the gap” between what she received and what her siblings took away. She also receives $30,000 a month in child support.
Wasserstein, who died in 2009 at age 61, left behind a widow, two ex-wives, a mistress, and four lavish residences. His estate and the family trusts were divided into portions of equal value for each of his six heirs, and a judge signed off on the framework of the division of assets years ago. A spokesperson for the executors of the estate and the trustees of his family trust said that they regret that this matter continues to be litigated and will vigorously defend against these meritless objections.
Sky’s attorney, power lawyer William D. Zabel, said that no amount of money can undo the psychological damage to a young woman who has been the target of an insidious, relentless conspiracy to ostracize her from her family. Sky’s co-attorney Taleah Jennings added that they are seeking damages for her in an amount no less than $100 million, which is a small fraction of what her father left for his children to share equally.
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