WHERE THERE’S A WILL
Liz Hurley’s son Damian wins fight to inherit from dad Steve Bing’s £380m family fortune
LIZ Hurley’s son Damian will inherit some of his dad’s multi-million family fortune – despite his grandad’s attempt to cut him out, reports claims.
Damian, 17, whose dad is millionaire Steve Bing, had been told he would not get any money from the trust because he was born out of wedlock.
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Damian's grandfather, real estate heir Dr Peter Bing, had tried to prevent the teen model and his half-sister Kira Kerkorian, from accessing their inheritance.
But a Los Angeles judge ruled this week that Damian and Kira, the daughter of Steve and ex-tennis pro Lisa Bonder, were beneficiaries to Dr Peter Bing's trust, reported.
The grandad had tried to claim Damian should not inherit because the model had never met his own dad, according to court papers.
But dad Steve, 54, blasted this statement, with his legal team branding the petition a "sham".
Steve is estimated to be worth a whopping £380million, the Daily Mail reports, after he inherited his grandfather Leo's fortune.
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He also accused his dad, Dr Bing, of "orchestrating a massive money-grab" with his sister Mary, 53, so her kids would inherit more money.
Dr Bing established his trust in 1980 to "benefit [his] future grandchildren", who were born or adopted at a young age by Steve or his daughter Mary.
But in March, a motion attempted to clarify the meaning of grandchild.
The documents state any of Dr Bing's grandchildren must be "raised by my children as part of their families" to receive any financial benefits from him, after he set up the GC trust in 1980.
The papers also stated his trust will not be passed on to "any person bought out of wedlock unless that person had lived for a substantial period of time as a regular member of the household."
But on Tuesday, Judge Daniel Juarez shot down claims the term 'grandchild' was ambiguous and needed to be clarified.
Juarez wrote in his judgement, citing case law: “There is no ambiguity in the Trusts' use of the term 'grandchild’.
“The Trustee's interpretation of the Trusts is unreasonable because no ambiguity exists and the Trustee's construction of ‘grandchild’ is simply unfounded.”
Although the exact value of the trust is not known, all grandchildren beneficiaries are expected to inherit at least several millions.
The legal battle kicked off when Kira asked to find out more information about the trust, as she insisted she was a beneficiary.
Peter's affidavit reads: "I have never met Damian or Kira, and neither of them was raised by Stephen as part of his family.
"l know that neither of them has lived with Stephen while a minor as a regular member of his household.
“To the best of my knowledge, Stephen has never met Damian, and Stephen only met Kira after she became an adult.
“Regardless of whether, when and if Stephen met with or had any relationship with Damian or Kira while they are or were minor because neither was raised by him during their formative years l do not consider them my grandchildren."
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It continues: “Even were Stephen to develop a relationship with Damian now, l would not consider him my grandchild because he is nearing adulthood.”
Elizabeth, 53, and Steve enjoyed a relationship in 2001.
Just one year later Damian was born, but at the time the 53-year-old businessman insisted the model's only child was not his.
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However, a paternity test proved he was the biological father of Liz's child.
It is unknown if Damian has been seeking information about the inheritance.
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