Jocelyn Wildenstein left her partner a huge fortune after her death – despite declaring herself bankrupt.
The Swiss-born socialite known as Catwoman died on New Year’s Eve at the age of 84. Just days after her death, her partner Lloyd Klein revealed that Jocelyn had been suffering from phlebitis and died peacefully in her sleep. Phlebitis is an inflammation which causes a blood clot to form in a vein, often in a persons leg.
Jocelyn, who was known for her love of cosmetic surgery had declared herself bankrupt in 2018, claiming she had no money in her accounts. Three years later, the three apartments she owned in Trump Tower were repossessed. In 2023, she revealed that she was still struggling financially.
But now, her partner Lloyd has revealed that following her death, Jocelyn actually left him a staggering $100million in her will. Lloyd shared how he received a phone call on the day of Jocelyn’s funeral informing him that he was the beneficiary of a life policy that she had taken out.
He said: “It’s over $100million dollars, my heart was beating. I was like, I’m not surprised, I sent her]Jocelyne] a big blessing”. He went on to tell The Sun: “She did it right, she’s a lady. Jocelyne was secretive, she was mysterious”. But Lloyd’s lawyers informed him that he would need to make a major change to his life due to his new fortune.
“My life has changed. I have one or two people walking behind me now”, he added. But he claims that Jocelyn didn’t leave a penny to her two children, Alec Jr and Diane, who she shares with her former husband, Alec Wildenstein. It was reported that after their divorce in 1999, she received a pay out around $2.5 billion and an additional $100million every year.
Speaking shortly after Jocelyn’s death, Lloyd said: “We had a nice happy hour the same night and we were getting ready for the new year, and we took a little nap just to look good before getting dressed. Because of her phlebitis, the legs were very, very swollen, and the blood was blocked, and there was no oxygen in the brain”.
He added, recounting the devastating discovery: “And we were having a nap and when I wake up, I said, ‘ Jocelyn, we have to wake up, we have to get dressed, ‘ and she was cold and she was dead. It’s very sad. It’s extremely sad. It’s extremely sad to lay down with your other half that I know for 21 years and waiting to celebrate New Year’s Eve and to find her cold”.
Jocelyn and her grandmother both battled with phlebitis, yet Lloyd insisted she was in “perfect” health just days before her passing. The couple were savouring a romantic escape to Paris when tragedy struck. Lloyd admitted he was blindsided by her sudden death, as she appeared “at the top of her game” during their time together, adding they were “very happy”. Jocelyn had been on television recently, where Lloyd fondly noted she looked “extremely beautiful”. Her death was reported by Paris Match who claimed she was in a Parisian palace at the time of her passing.
A statement announcing her death read: “Her partner Lloyd Klein is saddened to announce the death of Jocelyn Wildensetein in Paris”. Final photos of her showed the star and her fiancé stepping out of The Ritz in the French capital city a mere two weeks ago. Jocelyn wrapped up warm in a black zip-up turtleneck and chic brown fur coat. Jocelyn was believed to have have spent millions on facelifts that gave her high cheek bones and ‘ cat-eyes ‘ that give her a feline resemblance. However, she often rejected the claims.
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