Millionaire leaves cash to Panama children; some relatives not happy
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The New York Times reports this morning that Pennsylvania millionaire Wilson C. Lucom, who left a large but undisclosed sum of money to a children’s foundation he set up in Panama.
‘Mr. Lucom, a native of rural Pennsylvania who spent much of his life in Palm Beach, Fla., surprised everyone in his will, which was revealed upon his death two years ago at the age of 88. After doling out relatively small portions of his tens of millions to survivors, he left the rest to a foundation he had dreamed up in secrecy to aid the poor children of Panama, where he spent the final years of his life.’
But the dead man’s desires are not proving popular with everyone and have set off what the NYT describes as a ‘vicious legal battle.’
‘“This is all about greed,” said Héctor Ávila, an advocate for poor children in Panama who organized a demonstration of young people in May outside the court calling for Mr. Lucom’s gift to be honored. Within a week of the protest, Mr. Ávila survived a shooting. No link to the Lucom case has been established.’
-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City